Siege
by Veles
Summary: A series of drabbles set before High Maintenance. Because getting there is half the fun.
1. Creature Comforts

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: I would like to thank everyone for their great reviews and for reading. And say that in light of several requests and suggestions, I've decided to make a separate post for random drabbles of varying size, shape, and color that involve the pre-relationship side of High Maintenance. It won't be a "story" in that sense, but anything here will all be within the same alternate universe in no particular order. Any cohesive arcs will likely be coincidental and entirely unplanned. But we'll see.

Siege

_Creature Comforts_

Kenshin checked his watch again, frowning in concern at the time staring back at him from its elegantly crafted face. His brows furrowed and he raised his head to scan the quiet lobby from one side to the other again, searching again for any sign he might have somehow missed his standing appointment. Before he'd realized it, his cell phone was in his hand, thumb poised over the number five. Reason reasserted itself just before he actually pressed it, and he abruptly close the phone with a snap.

It was only twenty minutes.

There was no reason to bother Aoshi.

It was probably nothing, and he was the first person to admit that things had a way of coming up unexpectedly. But the longer he thought about it, the more indecision crept insidiously through his mind. Kaoru was one of the most punctual people he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing, and his imagination rapidly flashed over just how many different things could happen in a mere twenty minutes.

Cursing his own mind, Kenshin flipped open the phone and stared down at the faintly lit keypad. Once again his thumb hovered over the button for a long moment before he breathed a quiet curse and closed it again.

Kenshin anxiously rocked back on his heels to resist the urge to pace and stared down at the phone in his hand indecisively._ Unless Aoshi knows something I don't_… _What if she's sick? Is she going to the doctor? Did she call_-

The security lock on the side door let out a sharp click, instantly snapping Kenshin's attention around and setting his heart to racing in poorly concealed hope. As soon as the door started to swing open, Kenshin straightened his spine and quickly stuffed the phone back into his pocket. He smoothed his hand absently down the front of his suit coat and quickly brushed his hair back over his shoulder before he grabbed the handle to pull the door completely open.

The startled look on the young woman's face shifted instantly into recognition and finally annoyance as she shook her head. "Unless I'm mistaken, you have a meeting you're supposed to be in right now, Himura-san."

"Kenshin," he automatically corrected, flashing her a dazzling smile as relief washed over him so quickly it nearly left him lightheaded. "You're running late."

"I am not." Kaoru brushed off the accusation and expertly twisted her briefcase to prevent Kenshin from "helping" her carry it. "Shinomori-san assured me that it wouldn't be a problem, and _you_ are supposed to be working."

"My office manager was missing," Kenshin excused as he fell in step beside her. "How am I supposed to have a board meeting when an important part of my board isn't present?"

Kaoru shot him an exasperated look. "You had plenty of board meetings without your office manager before I came to work for you."

"He wasn't competent in handling all the department heads the way you are," Kenshin complimented with a disarming smile. "And I need you to take my notes. You have the best penmanship."

"I'm hiring a personal assistant for you," Kaoru returned flatly.

Kenshin frowned down at her and shook his head. "What would I do with a personal assistant? I already have a secretary, and you handle the rest."

Kaoru rolled her eyes, smiling at security as she passed their station, and pointedly ignoring their amused murmurs as she and Kenshin passed. Tapping the call button for the elevator with the back of her hand, she turned to regard her restless boss. "You do realize that it's not in my job description to substitute for you in that professional capacity?"

Kenshin nodded in agreement and made an expansive gesture toward the main doors. "That's why you're paid better than any other office manager in the city. And if you don't believe me, ask Aoshi. He compliments you all the time."

Kaoru's eyebrow kicked up in suspicion.

Kenshin shrugged, reaching up to rub the back of his neck with a rueful smile. "He suggested your holiday bonus, it's the same thing."

Kaoru made a vague, noncommittal sound in the back of her throat, but the corner of her mouth twitched at the translation of Aoshi's actions. Shaking her head again, she turned to face the elevator and tapped one foot in distracted impatience. Rather than push the issue, she settled instead for asking, "Am I supposed to reschedule the meeting when we get upstairs, or have you filled up your appointment book when I'm not looking again?"

Kenshin hummed thoughtfully and worried at the inside of his lower lip with his teeth. At her averted gaze, he couldn't stop himself from taking advantage of the opportunity to admire the lines and curves of her body beneath the tailored, knee-length jacket. The hem of her skirt barely peeked out from beneath it, and his eyes traced the contrast of navy blue material against pale stockings. Moving on reluctantly, he lingered over the smooth curve of her calves down to the simple, classy heels molding her feet into a most interesting arch. His head tilted to one side, and his eyelids lowered in sultry appreciation of the muscles flexing and twitched under her smooth skin.

The tinny _ping _of the elevator snapped him out of his silent perusal, jerking him to attention just in time to smile innocently when Kaoru glanced at him.

Kaoru habitually dodged his renewed attempt to take her briefcase, switching hands as she entered the elevator to put it closer to the wall and out of his reach. "You didn't answer my question, Himura-san."

Kenshin slipped his hands into his pockets to resist the urge to brush her bangs away from her face. Holding her gaze with both brows raised expectantly, he waited with calm patience.

She exhaled heavily, gritting her teeth and amending, "Kenshin."

Kenshin smiled brightly at her capitulation and reached over to press the button for their floor. "I decided it would be more effective to give everyone the morning to get the details of their reports in order. We can call for delivery and have the meeting over lunch."

"Because Sano is so eloquent when you put food in front of him." Kaoru clucked her tongue, wishing she could think of a viable reason to challenge his logic. Lunch was precious time to restore her sanity, and losing the option of leaving the building to clear her head had the potential to throw off her mood for the rest of the day.

Not that Kenshin was _un_pleasant company… It was just that he was such an overwhelming presence, especially when he turned the energy and intensity of his entire focus on her.

Sighing, she slanted a look behind her bangs to discreetly take in the attractive features of her boss. In the thoughtful silence, his eyes stayed fixed forward, and a serene smile played across his lips as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. And like every other day, he was standing close enough for her to feel the heat radiating off his frame mixed in with that unmistakable hum of his just being _there_.

Kenshin turned toward her unexpectedly, and quickly bit the side of his tongue to resist mentioning that guilty flush his move brought to her cheeks. Forcing a polite smile, he tilted his head and questioned, "Is everything all right? At home, I mean. Do you need time off?"

Kaoru stared at him blankly before what he was asking clicked, and she ducked her head to hide her embarrassment. "No, no. Everything's fine. It was just a little thing."

She could feel him staring at her, stubbornly keeping her gaze averted until he sighed and brought his hand up to squeeze her shoulder. "If there's anything I can do, you can come to me, you know."

The concern in his voice was sincere enough to send a curl of warmth through her, and bring a smile to her face as she finally looked up to meet his eyes. "Thank you, but it's really not anything serious. I might have to use up some vacation time to go home for a few days eventually, but Shinomori-san said that wouldn't be a problem."

Kenshin gritted his teeth against the urge to offer to escort her home just to make sure she made it safely. Quietly, he took a deep, bracing breath and compromised with his desires for a more direct, personal inquiry by hopefully urging, "Are you _sure_ it's not serious, Kaoru?"

If she recognized the breach in office etiquette, she didn't give any indication. Her lips quirked up in a warm half-smile for his concern, and she repeated, "It's really nothing like that. It would just mean a lot to Yahiko if I'm there to see him test, and I'm trying to think of how I could get ahead of my work here so I can be home long enough without causing too much trouble."

"If that's all that's bothering you, I'm sure Aoshi could set up something with your laptop for remote access," Kenshin offered.

"He already took it to get my connections and clearance set up just in case," Kaoru admitted, reaching up to nervously tug at her hair under his searching gaze. She glanced at the number changing on the digital display, and tightened her grip on her briefcase. Reminding herself that it wouldn't be a good idea to bolt the second the doors opened wide enough, no matter how appealing that option sounded in her head.

Despite Kenshin's incredibly hands-on approach to running his company, it was Shinomori who was responsible for maintaining the details in all the divisions. She'd followed procedure to the letter, and there was no reason whatsoever to feel guilty regardless of the disappointment sneaking into Kenshin's expressive eyes.

But even telling herself that, she still felt a shiver very nearly like an adrenaline rush twitch through her legs when the chime signaled their floor. Hiding out in her office seemed the neatest, easiest course of action before she did something stupid, like give in to the irrational need to apologize for apparently hurting his feelings. Or worse, gave in to that pleading look and actually unloaded her personal problems on her boss.

But before she'd taken a step, Kenshin's hand gently covered her forearm and ruined her hope for escape.

"It sounds like you've worked everything through with Aoshi," Kenshin murmured as he led her out of the elevator. Determinedly, he kept his hold firm and his pace slow and casual while he escorted her down the hall. Fighting to keep the placid expression on his face despite the way his blood seemed to itch with the need to take her to his office and find out what was going on.

Kaoru smiled vaguely to cover the warmth that spread through her from the light touch of his hand. A warmth that was much too tempting for her to resist regardless of how much it felt like crossing the fine, unspoken line of impropriety. As much for herself as for Kenshin, she reiterated, "I don't like my personal life to interfere with my job. And Shinomori-san has been a big help with that."

"You _know _you can come to me if you need to talk about anything." Kenshin pulled her to a stop outside her door, urging her around to face him so he could catch and hold her gaze directly. "Even if it has nothing to do with work."

This time her smile was more genuine, but she still shook her head to reject his offer. "You're busy enough. There's no reason for me to be bothering you about silly things."

"How about you let me decide what's a bother and what's not?" Kenshin chided and clasped her free hand in both of his. After a moment's hesitation, he gave in to the desire to lift one hand away and brush his knuckles under her chin. Hiding the affection behind the gesture under a playful smile, he teased lightly, "You're the one who tells me I'm not busy enough after all."

Kaoru laughed at the reminder, tugging her hand out of his to push her bangs away from her face in a nervous habit. "I reserve that for when you're hovering. And wandering the halls pretending to be busy."

"So next time you should take pity on me and make me feel useful." Kenshin held up a finger to forestall her excuses. "If nothing else, I can take whatever you need to Aoshi so you don't have to stop in the middle of a project."

"That's what interns are for," Kaoru reminded him.

"Interns are too nosey to handle sensitive materials like that." Kenshin waved that off. "However, _I_ will keep anything you tell me in the very strictest confidence."

"Or skulk in doorways waiting to ambush people leaving my office with files so you can do it anyway?" Kaoru set her hand on her hip and challenged.

Kenshin's brows rose and he pressed one hand to his heart to emphasize his sincerity. "I just so happened to be walking by and offered to deliver those without any ulterior motives at all."

Kaoru snorted, smacking him in the leg with her briefcase before she turned to unlock her door. "Nosey."

Kenshin made a show of rubbing his leg, but gave up when it failed to garner sympathy. Catching her hand before she could touch the handle, he tugged her to the side enough that he could open the door for her. "It would be easier to cut out the middle-man."

"You do realize that's exactly what I'm doing in going directly to Shinomori-san?" Kaoru questioned wryly.

"I'm still Aoshi's boss," Kenshin reminded with an unrepentant smile. "I have the final say on all important company matters."

"I hardly think that whether or not I take vacation time for personal reasons counts as 'important company matters.'" Kaoru set her briefcase on her desk and stubbornly forced herself to ignore the shiver that went down her spine when his hip brushed against hers on the way inside.

_This is getting ridiculous_. Kaoru reached for the files stacked in her box, stacking them on her desk to distract her wayward thoughts. There was a harmless, reasonable explanation for why she was having so much difficulty keeping herself in line. Probably stress, stress and all the time she'd been spending around her fidgety, attractive boss.

_That _thought brought an amused smile to her face as she absently unfastened the buttons of her overcoat. Despite his position, she had to admit there was something compelling about him, something that drew the eye and strained her sense of ethics. Not to mention how bizarrely endearing it was to watch the anxious way he moved through the departments of his office looking for ways to help here and there. Even if he had his moments of unintentionally adding to her frustration some of the days his boredom led him to hovering in her office.

If he wasn't so damn appealing, his company might even have been comfortable.

Kaoru jumped when she felt Kenshin's hands on her shoulders, covering her eyes in embarrassment at how far away her mind had wandered. She could feel the hesitation in his touch, and smiled apologetically to reassure him before obligingly slipping out of her coat.

Kenshin folded it over his forearm, searching her face for a long moment before he sighed and continued, "It's important to me that you're not overstressed unnecessarily. And if doing a little legwork for you will help, then I expect you to call me."

Kaoru rolled her eyes, but smiled helplessly at the very genuine concern on his face. "_If _I happen to have something that needs to go to Shinomori-san when you aren't in a meeting or otherwise occupied, I'll think about calling you."

His smile was dazzling as he hung her coat on the stand with practiced grace. "Excellent!"

Folding her arms over her chest, she leaned back on against her desk and pinned him with an exasperated stare. "Now all that's left is rescheduling that meeting you were _supposed _to have this morning."

Kenshin rubbed the back of his head at her disapproving look. "I was worried."

She smacked the back of her hand against his chest and slipped around the side of her desk to put more space between herself and that solid chest that met her knuckles. "You're being silly. Anything I need to know I'll get from Misao or Shinomori-san later."

"I still-" Kenshin started.

"Out." Kaoru sat down, shifting her briefcase to the other side of her computer and flipping it open. "I'll call your secretary and tell her when we can fit the meeting in, but you're probably right about it being over lunch."

Kenshin barely stopped himself from reminding her that she had a direct line to his office, but with the look in her eyes, he decided it was better to let it go this time. "Once you've confirmed everyone's orders, would you let me know? I'd like to try to get the business part out of the way as quickly as possible."

Kaoru dipped her head in agreement, her eyes already moving over the open files on her computer screen as a furrow of concentration appeared between her brows. Kenshin slid his hands into his pockets, content to take a private moment to watch her attention dart around her desk as she visibly switched her focus to the work in front of her. When she looked up at him questioningly, he reached out and took her coffee cup off the corner of her desk.

Her eyes went back to her screen while the corner of her lips quirked up. "You don't have to do that, Himura-san."

"Kenshin," he corrected, waving the cup at her scoldingly on his way out. "You start your morning your way and let me start mine." Pausing at the door, he called over his shoulder matter-of-factly, "I find it very therapeutic and soothing to make coffee, and I can only drink so much myself."

"Out," Kaoru repeated with a shooing motion with her hand. But the muffled laughter following him down the hall warmed him thoroughly from the inside out.

Little by little, he was getting to her. He could see it in the way she looked at him when she thought he wouldn't notice, and the way her heart would beat just a little faster when he touched her. The attraction _was _there, and if he could just be patient a little longer he was confident he could convince her to overlook the small matter of their professional association.

Kenshin closed his eyes and gratefully breathed out a strained sigh as he continued down the quiet hallway to his own office. Any more mornings like this, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do. As much as the selfish side of him was more than happy to have her so close at hand, he wanted more.

It would have been so much easier if she didn't work for him…

Turning a calculating look in the direction of Kaoru's office, Kenshin allowed himself a moment to dwell on how things would change just as soon as he convinced her to give him a chance.

Someday soon, he wouldn't be leaving that office without a morning kiss.


	2. Casualties of War

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Siege

_Casualties of War_

The corporate world, in Aoshi's experienced opinion, was comparable to life in feudal times.

Perhaps not on the more superficial levels, but in essence, the structure was the same. And the most successful corporations he'd had the pleasure of being associated with were always the ones being run -intentionally or otherwise- like a self-contained _han_.

Although rather than the simplicity and straightforward methods of gaining assets or power through clever marriages or well-executed battle, these times called for the dubious "civilization" of mergers and buy-outs. While negotiations could often become hostile and underhanded, and shady practices still abounded at every turn, unfortunately one could no longer solve the matter with a well-paid ninja and a few conveniently orchestrated catastrophes.

However, each division had its own workers trained specifically for their given purpose, who in turn were held accountable under their division's appointed leader. Each of those an essential figure with exemplary intelligence, capability, and skill, carefully selected to independently maintain order and productivity throughout their assigned department.

They served in the same function as the daimyou before them.

And like daimyou, all of their actions and decisions were monitored and ultimately presented to their trusted shogun.

Aoshi paused, staring at the stacked papers in his hand as the image of Himura Kenshin dressed in the court garb of a shogun from those ancient times came to mind. Blinking, he looked up and found the object of his thoughts still leaning against his desk, thumbing through the contents of the folder Aoshi had just presented.

_Under those circumstances_, _I suppose my own place would have been the shogun's Regent_, Aoshi mused wryly, tapping his thumb against the page in front of him. Higher than the daimyou, second to the shogun…

Aoshi glanced up when he caught a flicker of movement, just in time to see Kenshin turn his head to look at something in the hall and abruptly walk straight into the doorframe. The papers in Kenshin's hands scattered as he hunched over, holding both his hands over his forehead, and swearing profusely under his breath.

Blinking slowly in mild amazement at the absolute ridiculousness of what he'd just witnessed, Aoshi rose to his feet and came around the desk until he could follow Kenshin's line of sight to the cause. Ignoring the continued profanity coming from the shorter man, Aoshi felt his brows raise with a sudden epiphany.

Smoothly, he stepped into the hallway and closed the door to his office, muffling the sounds inside just as the new office manager he'd hired said her goodbyes to one of the more striking male interns. As she passed by, she caught sight of him and bowed once, one arm loaded down with folders and the other holding her cell phone to her ear.

Aoshi watched her more openly once her back was to him, meticulously examining her from the top of her head, down her well-tailored suit, all the way to the ankle-strap heels.

His office door opened behind him, and Kenshin quickly leaned out with one hand still held protectively to his forehead. Never once looking up at Aoshi, he unerringly found Kaoru's position and skirted around the doorframe to hurry after her.

Aoshi studied Kenshin's expression and body language curiously, folding his arms across his chest as he watched the two of them interact with veiled interest until they moved out of sight. After a moment, his attention dropped to the scattered papers and up into his empty office.

His empty, _quiet_ office.

Thoughtfully, Aoshi stepped inside and closed the door behind him, turning his wrist to watch the time until those seconds stretched into minutes. Yet, his office still remained clear, peaceful and quiet. Letting his hand fall back to his side, Aoshi looked at the door, unaware of the way one brow arched up as his thoughts raced.

Kamiya Kaoru had become a necessary addition as their corporate _han_ grew, integrating herself into their hierarchy as seamlessly as if she'd always been a part of it. Aoshi had come to trust her to perform impeccably within the bounds of her authority, freeing him from a large portion of more tedious tasks, and leaving him free to focus on more important matters.

Important matters like keeping their energetic _shogun_ from unintentionally sabotaging their productivity in his boredom.

Aoshi knelt to gather up the papers, absently stacking them against his thigh before he stood and set them on the corner of his desk. Slowly drumming his fingers on the wooden surface, his eyes narrowed faintly at the plan unfolding in his mind.

Part of his responsibility was knowing when and where to apply the skills of any given employee in order to best serve the purposes of the company. While it was a shame to willfully undermine her professional capacity, any successful strategist recognized the necessity of sacrifice on the path to peaceful prosperity.

He would simply have to ensure that the benefits of her position offered enough incentive to keep her where she would continue to unintentionally provide this invaluable distraction without tipping her off.

Although…

Frowning again, Aoshi reached for the phone.

It couldn't hurt to have a few of those well-paid ninja on standby.


	3. Rock is Dead

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Siege

_Rock is Dead_

Sano shifted the heavy shopping bag from one hand to the other and frowned down at his wife, clearing his throat suggestively when she continued to stare indecisively at the menu board in front of them. Completely unperturbed, Megumi folded her arms over her chest and turned to look around at the other available stands.

"Oh come on!" Sano complained loudly enough for a few passing women to turn curious stares in their direction. Glaring at them until they hurried on their way, he turned that same glare down on his decidedly unimpressed spouse.

Expertly hiding her amusement, Megumi tapped a finger to her lips in mock contemplation and taunted, "There are so many choices…"

Sano huffed down at her irritably, "At this point, food is food."

"Don't be so impatient," Megumi scolded. "It's not going to kill you to wait a few more minutes."

"You keep right on thinking that," Sano muttered, absently glancing around the pedestrians to distract himself from the growling in his stomach. "When you turn around and find nothing but-" he stopped abruptly, eyebrows rising in surprise at what had caught his attention.

Megumi glanced up at him. "What's wrong?"

"I think I see Jou-chan," Sano explained, leaning to one side in an effort to get a better angle on his view. Finally, the foot traffic shifted, and the confusion changed to a smug smile at the familiar figure waiting by a line of vending machines. "I was right! It IS her! I almost didn't recognize her without a skirt on."

Rolling her eyes at the general stupidity of men where women's fashion was concerned, Megumi pressed a hand to his chest to balance herself as she rose up on her toes and curiously looked in the same direction. After a moment, she finally managed to spot what her obnoxiously tall husband had so easily found. She admitted Sano had been right about the change the more casual clothing made to the young woman's appearance. Although to save herself any added aggravation, she kept that to herself and instead tried to turn him to a different topic. "I wonder what she's doing here."

Sano shrugged carelessly. "Shopping?"

Tilting her head at the option, her brows furrowed and she corrected, "No... she looks like she's waiting for someone."

"That little gal lives and breathes work," Sano snorted. "She's probably meeting Aoshi for an emergency or something boring like that." Frowning at the distasteful thought, he suddenly grinned down at Megumi and urged, "Let's invite her to eat with us!"

"The last thing she likely wants to do is spend a day off with people from work." Megumi shook her head, rapping her knuckles on his chest.

"We've got an obligation to make her feel like part of the family," Sano argued. "And Aoshi says we should be extra friendly since Kenshin's being all hovering and weird lately. Gotta show her we're not all crazy!"

"You might not be the best person for that," Megumi pointed out dryly. "Especially if your best idea for keeping Kenshin's reasons discreet is that he's just being 'hovering and weird.'"

Sano started to raise his hand to get Kaoru's attention. "Hey, compared to you and Misao, I-"

His hand froze in place when an attractive, dark-haired man wearing a suit that looked expensive even to Sano's untrained eye all but materialized in front of Kaoru. In a flash, he hooked his hands under her arms and hoisted her up off her feet. Swinging her around enthusiastically, the man kissed her soundly on the mouth before finally putting her back on her feet. Even from the distance, it was easy to see the blush on Kaoru's cheeks as she smacked the man on the shoulder. But he laughed it off and just as quickly had her arm looped through his to tug her against his side and lead her off into the crowd.

Eventually, the stunned awe faded and Megumi cleared her throat as she lowered back down to stand normally. Anxiously chewing the corner of her lower lip, she turned a speculative look at her husband's shell-shocked expression and poked his raised hand. "Janken. Loser tells Kenshin."

Numbly, Sano curled his hand into a fist and followed the low-spoken beats more out of instinct than active participation. His eyes never moved from the pair walking down the sidewalk, morbidly fascinated by how close together their heads were as they maneuvered through the other people. Kaoru burst out laughing at something her companion said and wrapped her arms around the man's shoulders, squeezing him with open affection.

"Pon."

Sano's hand automatically stopped, still in the same loose fist.

Megumi scowled at their hands, biting back the urge to curse at being beaten. But when Sano didn't make any move to celebrate his victory, she snuck a look up at his face. Her eyes narrowed slyly at his lack of attention, and watching him closely, she slowly opened the rest of her fingers to change from scissors to paper without catching his eye.

Schooling her expression into a properly sympathetic smile with the switch safely made, she tapped his fist with her hand to finally bring him back to the challenge.

Sano blinked, finally coming back to present enough to look down and stare at their hands.

"Shit."


	4. Hopelessly Devoted

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: Thanks again all of you who've had such lovely things to say about my drabbles. I really do enjoy hearing what you like and what you think. It's been a lot of fun for me.

Siege

_Hopelessly Devoted_

Kaoru sighed as nimble fingers unfastened her bra and absently rolled her shoulders to help him slide it down her arms. She'd barely set the garment on the dresser when his hands brushed her shoulders, tracing down the musculature of her spine while he let out a blatant hum of appreciation.

"You have a dancer's back," he praised, bringing both hands up to cover her shoulder blades and traces the lines of definition.

Kaoru snorted, reaching over her shoulder to smack his hands away. "It's a kendo back and you damn well know it."

"Darling, _you _damn well know that the first thing any self-respecting man thinks when he sees this gorgeous bit of skin is that you must be a dancer. They don't make the kendo connection until after you hand them their ass," his voice was slightly muffled as he turned away and impatiently sorted through the suitcase on the couch. "Now take off your pants."

"That's romantic." Kaoru's hands dropped to her buttons, sitting on the coffee table as she tugged the loose denim off her legs.

"If you wanted romance you should have met me at the airport with a bottle of champagne and a silk negligee." He turned around and grasped her ankle, stretching her leg out straight before lifting it higher to examine the back of her thigh as well. "Stand up and turn around, darling. Let me get a good look at you."

Kaoru rolled her eyes at the command, accepting his hand as she rose to her feet and obligingly turned in a circle for his perusal. Helplessly smiling at the tsking and sighing at her every move, she folded her arms over her breasts and arched an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Have I told you lately just how much I adore your figure?" He took a step forward, tapping a finger to his lips as his eyes followed the shape of her hips and down her legs. "You are the most fabulous muse a girl could ask for."

Kaoru burst out laughing and shook her head at his declaration. "You're one of kind, Kamatari."

"Well of course I am." Kamatari turned up nose and reached up to slide his fingers elegantly through his hair. "Why do you think they pay me so much money just to come to their silly functions and tell them what's wrong with what they try to call fashion?"

"It's obviously not for your amazing humility," Kaoru quipped, looking over his shoulder as he went back to his bags.

"Humility is for boring, unattractive people."

"You're not putting me in eggplant again, are you?" Kaoru held out her arm for the haphazardly flung pieces, catching them with practiced ease while Kamatari muttered under his breath.

"Eggplant was a winter color, very last season." Kamatari made a dismissive gesture with one hand, shoving that suitcase aside, and pulling another into its place. "Metallic and jewel-tones, darling. That's the new look of sophistication, and since I have you-" he trailed off for a moment as he pulled out a bolt of silk shaded somewhere between pewter and charcoal and held it up to her cheek to check the color against her skin and eyes. "I am going to be able to make an amazing open-backed piece, and really show us off. It's just a shame I'm going to have to cover up your legs."

"We can't always get what we want," Kaoru teased.

Kamatari clucked his tongue and set the bolt up against the back of the couch for later. "If you can't be nice, darling, I'm going to make sure there's at least one slit that comes up so high you'll have to wear stockings."

"You're going to make me wear stockings anyway," Kaoru pointed out.

"If I haven't beaten into your head by now that real women wear garters then there's just no saving you." He pulled out a rich garnet fabric and held it up the same way, tapping his foot as he considered the color before setting it aside on the couch as well.

At his sudden, demanding snap, Kaoru passed everything on her arm back to him to get flung onto a chair out of the way. "Vicariously living out your feminine fantasies through me can't possibly be healthy."

"Vicarious nothing," Kamatari scoffed and hooked his thumb in the waistband of his pants, tugging it away from his skin to show off the white garter-belt he was wearing underneath. "Turn around and let's try a few things for the casual dates."

"How many am I going on with you this time?" Kaoru obediently turned around, but glanced back to watch his face when he answered.

"A few." Kamatari hummed thoughtfully, shaking out a flowing lilac sundress, and checking the length against his own body before he tossed it over her head. "Just the usual sort of thing, you know. We have some luncheons, a few dinners, the gala... I don't suppose you'd be willing to do a shoot for me while I'm here? I have this great idea for my new pieces, but you know what models look like. I need sexy lines, not a vague, pasty stretch of skin over bones."

"You could always start designing only men's clothing." Kaoru helped tug the fabric over her breasts and smoothed it over her hips.

"Stab me in the heart, why don't you, darling?" Kamatari let out a disgusted snort as he fastened the halter-style collar, checking the fit across her chest before folding it another inch and pinning to mark the shortened length. "Menswear is fun under the right circumstances, but women's clothes are where all the creativity gets dumped. There's much too much room for variety for me to give that up, especially when I already have two perfectly good bodies to dress."

Kaoru snickered at the arrogance in his voice, and held her hair out of the way for him to fuss and pin the fabric for more adjustments. "You've always been a body snob, Kamatari."

"How difficult is it to get a hobby that gives you a little muscle definition? That's all I'm saying." Kamatari took a step back and motioned for her to turn, eyeing the fall of fabric. He looped his arms around her waist and pulled the sides just a touch tighter, carefully pinning it before he examined the effects of the alteration. "Hmm... we'll call this a maybe. I like the softer fall, but I bet I could pair it with a different neckline and change the silhouette to something really classy."

"Of course you can." Kaoru smiled, turning around again to make it easier for Kamatari to help her out of the sharp-point obstacle course the dress had become. "I'll think about helping with the shoot, but if there's a chance it could make working in my office awkward, I'll have to turn you down this time."

"Have more faith in my makeup direction." Kamatari gave a dismissive flick of his wrist before turning his attention to the fastenings and bringing the dress up over her head. "Although I still say you should dump the office and come live a fabulous life with me."

"I'm too short to be a model," Kaoru repeated the same excuse as always, laughing when Kamatari predictably started muttering disparaging remarks under his breath.

"For runway, maybe," he finally acknowledged as she stepped out from under the dress. "You'd make an amazing print model."

"For you."

"We have history." Kamatari poked the back of her neck and laid the dress over the arm of the couch for later attention. "That means it's understood that you would be exclusively at my beck and call."

"That has an ominous ring to it," Kaoru observed dryly.

"You should never get cheeky with a man who has naked pictures of you," Kamatari scolded.

"Baby pictures don't count, and don't bring up the perfume ad." Kaoru held up a finger to forestall his protest. "I only did that because you refused to pose with anyone else."

"Hush, we looked amazing." Kamatari smiled at the fond memory and went back to the suitcase to pull out a pale pink camisole. "I didn't see you complain when that perfume ad was paying our rent. Now put this on, I've made a few suits for you and I want to have a look before I get to the details. After dinner we can worry about what's lurking in your closet."

Kaoru shook her head, but pulled on the simple piece while Kamatari went right back to digging through his bags and muttering random things that were probably best left alone. "There's nothing wrong with the suits you gave me last time."

Kamatari gave her a dry look.

"I'm just saying." Kaoru held up both hands defensively, biting her lip to stifle the urge to giggle. "My measurements haven't changed and they're still in excellent condition."

"Darling, what would people say if I let you walk around in old suits?" Kamatari stood and folded his arms over his chest, cocking one hip out at a particularly artistic angle. "Think of my reputation."

Kaoru sighed in exaggerated resignation, "Yes, dear, how silly of me."

"Since you're apologizing so nicely, I'll forgive you just this once." Kamatari pressed a hand to his heart to fully illustrate the selfless motivation behind his decision. "You're lucky I'm remarkably benevolent."

"You're remarkably something all right," she agreed sardonically. "Do you want to eat out or in?"

Kamatari arched an eyebrow.

"And I suppose you already have something picked out."

He nodded matter-of-factly and reached back to pick up the jacket he'd been looking for, holding it out to her. "The reservations aren't until seven, so we have plenty of time."

Kaoru blinked in surprise even as she maneuvered to help him slide the sleeves up her arms. "Reservations?"

"We're meeting the photographer tonight." Kamatari turned her to face him and pulled the jacket closed to fasten the buttons.

"For the shoot I haven't agreed to do?" Kaoru set a hand on her hip, drumming her fingers impatiently at how casually he made that announcement.

Kamatari held up a pencil skirt a half shade darker than the jacket, but frowned and tossed it aside to reach for something that would make the lines he wanted. "He's very excited to work with us, you know."

Kaoru pinched the bridge of her nose. "One of these days you're going to stop doing that."

Kamatari shook out a skirt half the length of the last with a dramatic snap. He held it up against her, satisfied enough with the combination to kneel down and help her step into it for a more thorough inspection. Zipping up the side, he patted her hip and sat back on his heels for a broader perspective of the overall effect.

He tilted his head and moved forward to tug gently at the hem and test the seams, winking up at her as he smoothed his palm over a faint wrinkle. "One of these days, darling, you'll stop making me."

"What would be the fun in that?" Kaoru ruffled his hair just to see him shoot her a disgruntled look and attempt to smooth the style back into place.

"You're a heartless woman who lives to see me suffer," Kamatari huffed and turned up his nose.

"If that was true, I would have met you at the airport in a polyester pantsuit," Kaoru threatened. At Kamatari's utterly horrified expression, Kaoru burst out laughing and stroked her hand soothingly over his hair to fix what he'd missed. "I'm kidding, sweetie, I'm kidding."

"That's not funny."

Kaoru patted him on the head again with a teasing smile. "That's a matter of opinion."

"Polyester is a serious matter." Kamatari sternly shook his finger at her and turned her around to check the fall of the skirt over her backside. "It's obviously well past time for an intervention if you've forgotten such an important thing."

Kaoru laughed even as she automatically followed the familiar direction of his hands as he pinned and marked the places he wanted to alter. "There is not a single thing in my entire wardrobe that you haven't designed or handpicked, so I don't know what you're worried about."

Kamatari stood up and took a step back to observe the combination critically while he answered, "You've had plenty of unsupervised time to sneak terrible things into your closet. How many elastic-waist pants are you hiding?"

"I have drawstring pants for workouts and sleeping," Kaoru corrected, rolling her eyes at his disapproving snort. "Don't give me that, they're perfectly acceptable for their intended purposes."

"We'll deal with that later," Kamatari sighed wearily. "After we discuss your shoes."

"Be still my heart."

"Keep it up and I'll develop an uncontrollable urge pose you suggestively with half naked men." Kamatari helped her out of the jacket, folding it once before laying it over the arm of the couch. "Then you'll be forced to quit your terrible, boring job and come begging to me for work. Now get naked again. Let's see how you look in the pinstripe."


	5. The Straw

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: I feel a little like a broken record for always saying thanks to start my notes, but it's just as valid now as it is all the other times. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to tell me what you think. It's especially fun to hear. But more importantly, I wandered away from this set for a little bit, but it's about due for another short. This one is still somewhat chronological with the last couple, so... enjoy the continuation.

Siege

_The Straw_

It had been a good life.

A life filled with both good and bad; with things he looked back on with pride, and things he hoped desperately that his friends had forgotten to save him from them ever being mentioned again. He was young and healthy, and through a stroke of luck, he'd been enthusiastically married to the love of his life for several years. Perhaps it wasn't always wine and roses, but their relationship always proved stronger than any of their disagreements in the end.

But there were still so many things he _hadn't_ done.

He hadn't traveled as much as he wanted, they hadn't even begun to think of having children, and he still had at least two pages of restaurants he wanted to visit before-

"What do you mean you haven't told Kenshin?!"

Sano winced at the loud accusation and pulled his cell phone away from his ear, frowning at it before tentatively bringing it back into place. He leaned against the wall and discreetly looked down the hallway to where Kaoru stood at the reception counter. Unaware of the way he fidgeted at the heavy censure in his wife's voice, he defended his procrastination stubbornly, "It just hasn't been the right time."

"It's been a week, you great big chicken," Megumi countered.

"I'm not a chicken!" Sano shot back. "If I don't catch him in the right mood, think of how bad that could be. It's not something I can pop out at just any time!"

"It's not going to be any easier _now_ than it would have been before." Megumi sighed in exasperation. "The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be to actually tell him what we saw."

"But why do _I _have to be the one to tell him?" Sano complained, his gaze straying back to Kaoru. Switching his phone to his other ear, he grumbled irritably, "It's not like it's any of our business what she does in her personal life."

"You lost fair and square. Stop trying to worm your way out of it."

Sano bristled at the smug note in Megumi's voice. "I'm not worming my way out of it. I just don't want to make it any worse than it might be."

"Kenshin's your friend too, Sano, it's the least you can do to warn him that he has competition."

"Why can't we just let him figure it out for himself?" Sano leaned back against the wall. "Isn't it some sort of natural selection for single people? Something we're not supposed to mess with because it could cause drastic, long-term damage to their potential relationship?"

Megumi was quiet for a moment before asking dryly, "How many women's magazines did you read this week?"

A faint blush crept up Sano's throat, and he hunched his shoulders as he grumbled out, "It's not my fault that's all that's there." He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, changing the subject before she could start poking fun at him for that. "I'm serious though. It feels weird talking about Jou-chan's personal life."

"Not buying it."

"Oh come on!" Sano practically yelled into the phone, biting off the string of profanity dying to come to the surface when he noticed he curious looks he was getting from passing workers. Turning to give himself a measure of privacy, he lowered his voice and continued, "We aren't even sure that was her boyfriend."

"With as little as she talks about herself, let alone anything about a love life? She could be married and the only way we'd know would be her personnel file."

Sano blinked at the thought, nervously glanced down the stretch of hallway to where the receptionist was bidding Kaoru goodnight on her way out. He drummed his fingers on the phone casing, staring as Kaoru obliviously continued to sort the files she was working on. When that failed to magically garner answers, he prodded his wife with poorly disguised concern, "You don't think she's married, do you?"

"Aoshi would have said something," Megumi soothed before that could turn into a whole other issue on its own.

Sano relaxed a little, nodding even though she couldn't see it. "Yeah... yeah, he would have, wouldn't he?"

"Just go talk to Kenshin," she insisted in exasperation. "The sooner you do, the sooner you can stop worrying yourself into early baldness."

His hand went to his hair in a protective gesture and he frowned at the phone. "That's not funny."

Megumi's snickers passed easily through the phone. "Go on. Then come get me and we'll go to dinner. How does that sound?"

After a moment of silence, Sano swore and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, I'll tell him. But if I die, it's all your fault and my angry soul will haunt you for eternity."

"I'm sure it would be just like still being married to you."

"Hey!"

"Stop stalling, Sano," Megumi scolded. "I'll be waiting in the lobby."

"Yeah, I love you too," he muttered sourly.

"I'll light incense at your grave, darling."

The distinctive click of the call disconnecting had Sano glaring at the phone. Muttering under his breath, he closed the phone and slipped it into his pocket before he gave into the urge to throw it on the floor and stomp on it to vent his frustration. Raking a hand through his hair, he cursed again and looked longingly down the hallway toward the dubious safety of the nearly deserted offices.

Finally, with a resigned sigh, Sano set his jaw and mentally steeled himself to turn back toward Kaoru. If she was there, it was a fair enough bet that Kenshin wouldn't be very far behind. Unless she'd managed to trap him in his office again...

Sano shook his head to clear away the automatic attempt to put off the upcoming confrontation with his mildly obsessed boss. There was no reason for the tiny little nagging thread of panic continuously humming behind his thoughts. Kaoru was an adult and had every right to her own private life outside the company with whomever she wanted, and Kenshin was a logical, reasonable, level-headed adult who could respect that.

_It probably wasn't even what it looked like._ Sano nodded decisively, squaring his shoulders and setting his expression into the bland professionalism he tried to adopt for corporate meetings. Pivoting, he started to take one step toward the reception desk when a wash of shock instantly froze him in place.

Obviously, Kaoru had somehow made it back to her office without him noticing while he'd been lost in thought.

And obviously in that same amount of time, a strange woman with her same height, build, hair, and clothing had decided to come into their reception area.

Pure coincidence.

Because Kaoru obviously would not be standing in the embrace of a gorgeous woman.

Kaoru _obviously_ would not be serenely accepting an intimate kiss from the woman either.

Kaoru just wasn't the sort to be dating a man and a woman who somehow looked a lot like-

Sano's eyes widened in alarm as a belated realization snapped to the forefront of his mind.

"Holy fuck, she's dating creepy twins."


	6. Jinx

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: I was waffling a bit on whether or not to follow the going "arc" as it were, or go off on another tangent, but after some _suggestion _I decided to keep it going at least a little longer. I guess all there is left for me to say is to thank everyone again who took the time to send your reviews and little messages. And as a bonus, I was even pointed to a fantastic fanart for Bliss from Feng Han. (It really is just the most adorable thing and if you're curious to see for yourself, you can find it on deviantART from user "tzm.") And while I'm still rather surprised by the response, I'm very glad that I'm writing something people find entertaining. So, here's hoping I can keep it up.

Siege

_Jinx_

As badly as Megumi wanted to accuse Sano of making up some sort of twisted fantasy to get out of telling Kenshin about Kaoru's "friend," there was just too much trauma and full-on panic in his eyes not to believe that _he _genuinely believed what he was saying.

But all the same... it was just too unbelievable...

"A woman."

Sano nodded rapidly in agreement.

Megumi was quiet a moment, continuing to stare into Sano's pale face before repeating, "_Kissing_."

"I _know _it sounds crazy, but I _swear _I saw it happen!" Sano insisted, raking his hands through his already agitation-tousled hair yet again. "That boy we saw kissing her has a twin sister and she was all over Kaoru by the reception desk outside the offices! And Kaoru wasn't stopping her!"

"Calm down, Sano." Megumi waved her hand at him, glancing around to make sure no one could hear just how frantic her over-excitable husband was getting. "I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for it."

Sano stared at her as though she'd lost her mind. "Did you miss the kissing part!? Kaoru! With twins! With the girl twin! _Kissing-!_"

"Calm down," Megumi repeatedly sternly, slanting a look to the elevator doors to make sure that they were still having a private discussion. Kaoru still hadn't come down, and while she couldn't remember seeing any "gorgeous creepy girl-twin" go past her in the inner lobby, there was enough of a time-gap for her to have missed her exit. "What did Kaoru say?"

Sano's brows shot up. "You think I _asked?!_"

Megumi's expression instantly transformed to disbelief. "You mean you didn't?"

Sano made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and gestured expansively with both arms. "What was I supposed to do? Walk up and say 'oh hey, Jou-chan! Who's the girl exploring your tonsils?' Do you want me to die?!"

"You are afraid of a woman who is at least twenty centimeters shorter than you." Megumi jabbed two fingers into his stomach to emphasize the censure in her tone.

Sano frowned and defended, "Have you ever faced off with her when you're late for a deadline? It's like Aoshi. But with heels!"

Megumi rolled her eyes and muttered, "I would recommend not repeating that where Aoshi can hear you."

"_Spike _heels!" Sano made a clubbing motion with one hand to further illustrate the danger she was refusing to acknowledge. "If she can walk in those things, she can probably kill a man with them too! Without missing a step!"

Megumi could feel the makings of an epic headache building behind her eyes. "Sano, you're being melodramatic."

"How am I being melodramatic?" Sano demanded.

Megumi shot him a dry look and folded her arms over her chest. "For starters, I doubt Kaoru is hiding a dark past as a high-heeled assassin."

"You don't know that for sure," Sano stubbornly insisted. "Like no one knew she was dating bisexual incestuous twins."

Megumi swatted him upside the head half-heartedly, absently grinding her teeth in aggravation while she countered his accusation. "You don't know if _that's_ true either."

Sano started to remind her about the kissing he'd seen such a short time ago, only to reluctantly stop and reconsider the most productive way to get his wife back on his side. Leaning back against the cold marble wall, he stuffed his hands down into his pockets and asked, "What do we do now?"

Megumi sighed and reached out to pat his arm comfortingly. "I'm sure it's really nothing but a misunderstanding."

"Maybe..." Sano frowned. "But what if it's not?"

"Before we think about that, we need to get Kaoru to tell us what's going on," Megumi pointed out.

At the sideways look she sent him, Sano immediately shook his head in vehement denial. "No. _Hell _no. I already have to tell Kenshin we saw her kiss a boy, there is no way I'm going to be the one asking her about this!"

Megumi arched an eyebrow.

"Fair is fair!" Sano pointed at her sternly. "If I have to handle Kenshin, _you _have to talk to Kaoru."

Drumming her nails against her arm, she held his gaze a moment more before letting out a heavy sigh and giving him that small victory. "Fine. I'll speak with Kaoru."

Sano puffed up his chest triumphantly, only to have his breath rushing out in a startled "_oomph_" when Megumi's purse smacked against his stomach. Reflexively, he caught the handle only to go rigid with panic when she started walking away. "Hey. Hey! Where are you going?"

"To the ladies room," Megumi snapped over her shoulder. "Just wait there, you big baby, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"What?! But-!" Sano shook her purse at her to keep her attention from wandering. "But what about Kaoru?!"

Megumi rolled her eyes, shrugging as she called back, "If she comes while I'm gone, just stall her. It'll only be a few minutes, Sano, you can't be _that _unlucky."

Sano fidgeted, listening to the rhythmic click of her heels as she disappeared around the corner towards the restrooms tucked away on this floor. Worrying the strap of her purse as much as he dared, Sano quickly darted searching looks around the little lounge area for something wooden he could knock on before Megumi's words managed to reach whatever god or spirit was delighting in his misery and jinx him even further.

Finally, his eyes landed on a decorative plaque hanging between two low couches and thoughtfully narrowed in hopeful speculation. He took a step forward, fully intending to more closely inspect the material when the tinny _ping _of the elevator froze him in place.

Sano's shoulders slumped and he covered his eyes with one hand until the urge to do something childish had passed. Regardless of what Megumi said, and what he knew would be yet another ridiculously unfortunate and statistically improbable occurrence, he just _knew _that was going to be Kaoru.

"Goodnight, Sano."

Sano lifted his gaze heavenward at the familiar voice and briefly wondered if breaking down in tears would count as stalling. But then, with the way his luck had been going, that would just manage to get her running off faster to avoid dealing with a full-grown man sobbing his eyes out. Shaking off the mental images of his own imagined breakdown, Sano squared his shoulder in determination and turned to face the one woman making his life a therapist's dream project.

He forced a smile and set out to draw her into small-talk long enough for Megumi to come back and take over. "Heading home already, Jou-chan?"

Kaoru snorted at that, altering the direction of her steps until she was standing right in front of him. "I don't know what you're comparing it to if you're saying 'already' when it's past six."

"Ah, that's true." Sano raked his hand through his hair, ruffling it back and forth while he wracked his brain for something interesting enough to keep her there. "I thought Aoshi would have kept you over to go through the reports for the audit. Or Kenshin would still be hovering outside your office with Hotei's research project."

Kaoru rolled her eyes and shook her head in exasperation. "He _was _hovering, but he forgot to hide from Aoshi and I snuck out as soon as they went into a meeting. I'll be relaxing at home by the time Shinomori-san is finished with him."

Sano could help but laugh at the smug gleam in her eyes, reaching out to pat her on the back for her victory. "If you're up for it, I could take you out to celebrate? Have a drink or two? Megumi would be happy to have you along to help her remind me we have work in the morning."

"I can't imagine that you aren't getting enough of me at the office," Kaoru challenged with and absent gesture at the building.

"Well, _office_-you," Sano agreed with an unrepentant grin, starting to hope that maybe something about today was going to work out for him after all. "There has to be a difference with how you are outside the office, right?"

Kaoru's brows rose curiously. "Why would I be?"

"Well..." Sano considered that for a moment and glanced down at her feet. "At the least you'll be shorter when you take off those shoes."

Just as quickly, Kaoru's eyes narrowed in warning.

Sano's smile widened at her obvious displeasure, unable to resist getting in another dig on what was obviously a note of contention. "Probably should bring your ID card along. Don't want to miss out when you get carded."

Kaoru's posture straightened even as her balance obviously shifted in a precise sort of way he had seen plenty of times. Just not ever one he really suspected to see from _her_. Before he'd done more than register the change, her voice had pitched lower in strict disapproval, "You can knock it off or get a lesson in fulcrum leverage, Sagara."

Sano blinked at her, tilting his head to one side at the sudden, unexpected evidence that the possibility there might be some very real truth to thinking she had a dark past as a high-heeled assassin was more likely than they'd thought.

"Kamiya-san?"

At the vaguely familiar voice calling her name, Kaoru forcibly relaxed her stance out of the instinctive "battle-ready" pose. Unless she was mistaken, that was one of the members of the security staff, and if he was calling for her... The lingering tension eased out of her shoulders at the reminder that this was the one place above all others where she needed to keep her office-professionalism at the forefront of her mind.

No matter how tempting the alternative was from time to time.

Reaching up to cover her eyes with one hand, she drew in a deep breath to compose herself before turning to face the security guard. The moment she had, however, she forgot all about the tall man staring so intently from behind her and frowned in genuine concern. For some reason, the young guard looked nervous, and almost frightened.

"Is something wrong?"

The guard's eyes slanted up to Sano before sliding back to Kaoru and finally, tentatively darting back the way he had come. His brow furrowed and he shifted from foot to foot with the weight of his anxiety before he hesitantly answered, "There-ah... That is... A young man is here."

Kaoru blinked in confusion, unaware of the way her head tilted and her eyebrow arched in confusion at the strange comment. "Does he have an appointment? This late?"

Blushing at how poorly that had come out, the guard fisted his hands at his sides and bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, Kamiya-san, that's not correct. I meant to say- ah, there is a man here. He says he's your fiancé? At the front desk?"

There was a single, frozen moment of silence where Sano could have sworn those words swirled through the hallway with all the ominous portent of a death toll. Not even the air seemed to move as Kaoru stared blankly at the security guard, letting those words sink in and fully register. The instant they had, Kaoru's expression turned positively thunderous and she pivoted to stalk toward the security desk with a curse that had Sano's eyes widening in surprise.

Sano scrambled to follow her rapid pace, vaguely aware of the security guard hurrying along beside him in his efforts not to be left behind either. Every line of Kaoru's body quite clearly verified she knew exactly who was waiting for her, and yet despite all the less than flattering things being muttered, none of it was a denial.

"I am going to _kill _him this time," Kaoru growled mostly to herself, trying and failing to get her temper to settle. She'd given Kamatari explicit instructions to go home and get ready while she was finishing up at work _just _to avoid anything like this happening!

"Kamiya-san?"

Kaoru absently waved a dismissive, authoritative gesture at the security guard's questioning tone. "I'll handle it."

Any other objections the guard intended to raise were lost the instant Kaoru turned the corner into her "fiancé's" line of sight. The anger on his handsome face only slightly diminished as he drew himself up and completely dismissed the unyielding guard to point furiously at her. "Do you have any idea what _time _it is?!"

Kaoru rolled her eyes, shifting her briefcase from one arm to the other to glance at her watch even as she answered, "_You _are supposed to be at home waiting and getting ready, Kamatari."

Completely ignoring that reminder, Kamatari tapped his fingers almost violently against his watch face. "6:15! It's _6:15_, Kaoru! You said you'd be home a half hour ago!"

Kaoru smiled tightly at him and slanted a speaking look to the security guard still warily watching the shorter man's position. "Can we not do this _here?_"

Kamatari folded his arms over his chest, turning a scathing look over the guard from head to toe as though her tardiness was somehow HIS fault and curled his lip in distaste. Glancing back at Kaoru, he lifted both brows and gestured back toward the doors grandly in acquiescence.

Muttering an exasperated curse under her breath, Kaoru stalked around the security desk and grabbed Kamatari's wrist. Yanking him toward the doors, she hissed at him, "I told you not four hours ago that I had work to finish! You had everything laid out and ready last night, and don't you _dare _try to tell me that there isn't a stylist waiting somewhere in my house to do gods know what you told them to do to my hair."

"We have reservations for dinner _and_ there are _always_ last minute alterations that need to be done!" Kamatari defended, but easily kept pace with her agitated stride. "Now we're going to be rushed to be finished on time, and that great big horror in his off-the-rack, unnatural fiber nightmare wouldn't let me past the desk!"

"He's just doing his job-"

"And he's doing it _badly._"

"That's enough," Kaoru cut him off with a look that had him immediately backing down from any more deprecations against the staff's clothing. "We have plenty of time, everything always turns out perfect, and there's absolutely no reason for you to take pot-shots at security's wardrobe just because they didn't let you have your way."

"He still should have been nicer to me." Kamatari grumbled, reluctantly stopping at the doors when Kaoru pulled out her keycard to release the time locks. He rubbed his wrist to take the sting out of the spot she'd been squeezing and shot one more glare over his shoulder at the men standing uncertainly around the imposing desk. "I was perfectly reasonable."

"Of course you were."

It was the sound of the locks clicking open that roused Sano from his stupor enough to call out worriedly, "Kaoru?"

Kamatari pushed the door open and set his hand on the small of her back to keep her moving when she would have paused to answer. Still, she dug in her heels and shot him an exasperated look to stop him from shoving her out the door long enough to call back placatingly, "I'll have to take a rain check on that drink, Sano. See you tomorrow, okay?"

"Ah-!" Sano started, wincing when the man successfully ushered her out let the door slam loudly behind them.

Absolute silence descended on the lobby in a way that made the sound of the heavy doors relocking echo off the marble walls and Sano felt his throat steadily constrict under the gravity of what they had just witnessed. It wasn't until the familiar tapping of his wife's footsteps approached from the way they'd come that the security guards managed to shake off their own shock and look to Sano for their cues on how to respond.

Sano's mouth opened, letting out a helplessly confused sound before he closed it again and tried to collect his thoughts. His shoulders lifted and dropped as he shook his head, still unable to tear his gaze away from the doors.

"Sano?" Megumi's voice was closer than he expected, but not even that was enough to break his morbid enthrallment. "Sano, what happened?"

Sano blinked, swallowing hard before he managed to whisper, "You remember that book you got me last year? That one that talked about mythology from Norway?"

"Why are you asking about that?" Megumi frowned in confusion, reaching up to press the back of her hand against his forehead to check for fever. "Sano, look at me. Are you all right?"

He caught her hand, absently patting it with his other hand in what would have been reassuring if not for the almost haunted look in his eyes. "What was that thing? The doom thing with massive destruction? Death, fire... mankind swallowed by oceans?"

Megumi tugged her hand free, reaching up in exasperation to grab both sides of his face and forcefully make him look down at her. "Sano! What. _Happened?_"

The security guard still behind the desk cleared his throat and offered quietly, "Kamiya-san's fiancé arrived to- ah, escort her home."

Megumi's hands slid off Sano's face as she turned to stare at the guard in utter disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"Her _fiancé_," Sano repeated, lifting his hand to point the way they pair had gone. "The doom thing."


	7. Three Little Words

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: Since it's been a couple parts without him, might as well get this up. I know I've gotten more than one comment about being confused, and I'm not sure if this will help or make it worse. But I leave it up to the individual eye to decide. (Also, a couple people as for tzm's fanart title, so it's called "Kenji the Ninja Dragon." I'd post a link, but FF.N seems to eat them whenever anyone does that, and I'm not entirely sure why. Unless it's something about trying to kill the eternally-invincible Spam...) I guess all that's left is to thank everyone who's reviewed and say please enjoy this latest bit.

Siege

_Three Little Words_

The elevator doors slid open on a scene that had been repeated countless times for as long as Kaoru had been with the company. Her head was turned and anyone near could see the look of complete exasperation on her tired face. When she left the elevator, the cause became abundantly clear as Kenshin came out on her heels with his own expression twisted in concern.

From his place flattened up against the wall, Sano could see Kaoru roll her eyes before giving Kenshin her attention again, but whatever she'd said wasn't loud enough to reach him. The sheepish smile on Kenshin's face, however, made it clear it was probably something meant to deter his hovering.

Even if it didn't prove the least bit successful.

Sano inwardly sighed, brow furrowed with his conflicting emotions while he silently tracked the pair's progress across the reception area. Kenshin was still following directly behind Kaoru, reaching out every so often only to pause before his hand actually made contact and reluctantly letting it drop. His indecision was clear, torn between his desire to take care of Kaoru in her state and respecting her continued insistence it wasn't necessary.

In the blissful ignorance of a week ago, Sano would have watched them go, snickering to himself and toying with ideas for ways to tease Kenshin or Kaoru about the "cozy scene." Now, however...

Sano shook his head. _How the Hell do you tell a friend that the girl he's been after is already engaged?_

That thought rolled around in his head until the two disappeared down the hall toward the offices and left Sano wincing as he amended, _How the Hell am I supposed to tell _Kenshin_ that _Kaoru _is engaged?_

The impression Megumi had about Kaoru just being nervous about accepting Kenshin's advances due to their professional association had been more or less shared quietly through upper management. Granted, Misao tended to be the loudest and most idealistic in predicting the future relationship when the topic happened to come up, but he couldn't say any of them had ever disagreed with her imaginations. With as good as the two looked together and the palpable tension that rose between them when they were in close quarters, they'd all expected it was only a matter of time.

Sano frowned dejectedly when his mind turned over every interaction he could remember, suddenly seeing Kaoru's polite refusals and dodging in a whole different light. Where once he saw a reluctant sort of discomfort, now all he could see was a committed woman trying to dissuade an enthusiastic admirer without causing unnecessary strain in the workplace. She made no secret that she loved the job, loved the company... It only stood to reason that she wouldn't want to have to leave after working so hard to settle into her place here. And how could any of them blame her for that?

"This would be a whole lot easier if I didn't like one of them," Sano muttered under his breath, toeing at an imaginary space on the carpet. Or if wasn't so easy to sympathize with both sides of the mess this was turning out to be.

He shook his head and pushed away from the wall before he could get lost in the thoughts that had been crowding out everything else since the first gloriously ill-timed look into Kaoru's personal life. Kenshin's morning routine was nothing if not predictable, and taking the long way around to the hall leading to his office would give Sano plenty of time for his tenacious boss to get kicked out of Kaoru's.

Maybe if he was lucky, he'd have enough time to plan out what he needed to say. After all, Kenshin hadn't been holding a cup when he left the elevator, and as far as he knew, he hadn't made it into his office to start his own machine. Chances were that he'd stop off in the executive lounge to pick up a quick fix to go with his morning reading while he brewed a fresh pot.

Pausing outside Kenshin's office doors, Sano frowned thoughtfully. _How much time does it take Kenshin to get coffee and pick up his paper?_

"Sano?"

Not long enough, apparently.

Steeling himself for what was probably going to be one of the least pleasant mornings in his lifetime, Sano absently rubbed the back of his neck and tried to smile. "Kenshin. I-ah... You have a minute?"

Kenshin blinked, a hint of a frown tugging at his mouth while he studied Sano's considerably harassed appearance. His lips compressed in aggravation as he dipped his head and gestured with one hand to indicate Sano should precede him into his office. _What on earth is going on to make my staff look like they've been revisiting their college sleep schedules? First Kaoru looks like she hasn't seen her bed since Friday and now Sano?_

Sano held the door open, waiting until Kenshin was through before quietly closing it behind them and following him to the broad desk. Usually the cool silence of the office was comforting, but today it took on an almost oppressive edge under the weight of his troubled thoughts. Twisting his wedding band on his finger, he waited for Kenshin to set down his coffee and paper and look up at him expectantly before he tried to start.

"There's this thing, I mean-" Sano stopped himself, forcing his hands down to his side with a frustrated grunt. "Megumi and I were out about a week ago. Just downtown, looking for something to eat, you know?"

Kenshin's brow kicked up, but his obligingly responded to that hopeful look to encourage him to continue. "Okay?"

"I mean, we weren't out meaning to run into anyone, right?" Sano rubbed his palms on his slacks, clearing his throat when his mouth went dry the longer he stared at Kenshin's face. "It was just some fluke thing, and we've been talking about it. But then I lost at Janken Pon so I had to come in and talk to you. Not that I _wouldn't_, but it's still really awkward to have to do it! It's like high-school or something."

Kenshin hid a sigh at Sano's odd behavior, but decided to wait until the rambling wrapped around to whatever was really bothering him. He lifted his coffee to take a sip and let his gaze wander back to the open newspaper to skim over what he could. Behind the safety of his cup, his lips twisted in mild annoyance at seeing he'd only opened as far as the society page before he'd been interrupted. But as much as he wanted to turn it away from the gossip columns and frivolous reports, that would be a bit more rude than he could justify this early in the morning. Especially when Sano seemed to be having so much trouble working himself up to whatever it was he wanted to talk about.

_Maybe he needs advice about Megumi again_, Kenshin wondered as he half-heartedly skimmed the article headings. Frowning thoughtfully at that possibility, he set his cup back down on his desk and let his hand fall back to his lap. As Sano continued his non-starts and awkward, confusing attempts at whatever was on his mind, Kenshin drummed his fingers against his thigh and continued his perusal down the page. _He's never this nervous asking for a raise, so it can't-_

Some distant part of his brain was suddenly very glad he'd already set his coffee down.

There was a single picture gracing the page.

A picture of a striking couple in some sort of ballroom or banquet hall, both with dazzling smiles directed at whichever photographer had captured that shot.

He _knew _that smile.

Kenshin's mouth opened and closed just as quickly, trapping the startled sound in his throat as he abandoned all pretense of listening to Sano to stare intently at the woman in the picture.

The dark, glossy hair pulled up in an intricate style and the elegant makeup making those sparkling eyes sultry and mysterious was different, but there was absolutely no way he wouldn't recognize that face.

Or that figure...

That figure that was practically on display in a stunning, _backless _gown that fit every line and curve of her body to incredible perfection. Kenshin's mouth went dry, eyes wide as they practically devoured the gracefully defined musculature laid bare to any and every person who cared to look.

Only to narrow dangerously at the larger hand splayed possessively across the small of her back.

Gritting his teeth, his eyes darted up to the man's far-too-pretty face before dropping off the picture to find the description.

_Internationally acclaimed fashion designer, Honjou Kamatari taking a break during last night's celebrations to smile for our photographer with his long-time companion, Kamiya Kaoru._

Long-time companion.

_Long-time companion._

A violent bang rang out in the spacious office, silencing Sano mid-ramble and startling Kenshin out of his thoughts. Blinking in confusion, he stared down at the hands fisted on his desk until a faint sting spread up into his wrists.

_Oh_... _It was me._

"Kenshin?" Sano leaned down worriedly and felt every muscle in his body freeze the instant those gold eyes snapped up to his face. _Oh... hell..._

The muscle in Kenshin's cheek spasmed under the strain of his clenched jaw as his eyes dropped to the picture again. Consciously opening his fists, he laid his palms flat on his desk and rapidly searched through the corresponding article for more information.

Freed from the chilling weight of that stare, Sano leaned as far away from Kenshin as he could without actually moving and possibly drawing attention back to himself. He looked longingly toward the door before indecisively returning his attention to the man fairly radiating with rapidly mounting fury. Whatever Kenshin was looking at in that paper, it was obvious not anything remotely resembling good.

Kenshin's eyes moved through the reporter's gossip over couples, scandals, and clothing, taking a very precise breath to resist the urge to just rip the paper into a thousand little pieces. Line after useless, frustrating line until "Honjou Kamatari" finally surfaced in the midst of all the nonsense and fully captured his attention.

_Honjou Kamatari arrived in high-style, positively glowing with his companion and exclusive print-model, Kamiya Kaoru, on his arm in one of his very special original creations. The couple arrived in high-spirits and graciously took time from socializing to indulge photographers all evening. Kamatari was in fine form, keeping Kamiya close at his side and encouraging her to defer more intimate questions to him as usual. However, Kamiya did not deny rumors that she will be participating in photo shoots for Kamatari now that he's returned, adding to the speculation regarding the forthcoming release of a new line. _

_Another theory for the unannounced return involves sources revealing that the couple were seen carrying several large pieces of luggage into Kamiya's apartment. Neither would comment on the rumors suggesting they have finally moved in together, but without a denial, we can assume there is some truth behind it. Perhaps Kamatari's new line will reveal more about the suspected changes to their relationship?_

The rippling across the surface of the paper snapped his out of his reading and drew his gaze to the opposite page, startled to find his hands again betraying his reaction to the article. His fingers had curled, blunt nails digging into the flimsy paper and scratching through it even as the page was crumpled under the pressure of his touch.

"Aoshi."

Sano reflexively jerked at the unexpected whisper, fidgeting against the urge to back away from the barely restrained violence in that single word. Against every instinct screaming at him to keep quiet and pray those eyes stayed fixed anywhere but him, Sano swallowed hard and managed a weak, "What?"

"I need Aoshi," Kenshin expounded without any real indication he'd heard Sano speak.

This had to be a mistake, some kind of coincidence or mistaken identity. Kaoru just didn't move in those circles, didn't _care_ to move in those circles. She had gone to college almost straight out of high school, graduated with high-marks, and directly applied for his company. There was just no time for her to have cultivated relationships with these kind of people... But even if she somehow HAD crossed paths with this designer, she would have said _something_. Especially if she was in such a serious relationship!

Wouldn't she?

They'd been working together long enough to practically be family, there was just no way she'd keep something that serious to herself. She would have talked about him, told stories, gotten calls or flowers or something-_anything_ to indicate there was such a serious lover in her life. At the very _least_, she would have brought anyone she was dating to the company functions.

Not to mention Aoshi's background check would have turned up any relationship as solidly established as the article suggested.

_That's right_, Kenshin forced himself to take deep, controlled breaths and lifted his hands before he could do any more damage. _Aoshi would have found him if it was true_. _It's a gossip column_, _it's probably nothing but chatter. They just took a picture together, there's no reason to think-_

"Holy shit, that's the guy who was kissing Kaoru!"

Kenshin's head snapped up so quickly, Sano couldn't have stopped himself from scurrying backwards if his feet were actually nailed to the floor. Just as quickly, Kenshin's eyes narrowed to gleaming slits, freezing Sano in place as the blood visibly drained from his cheeks.

"That... didn't come out right..." Sano stammered out.

"Didn't it?"

Sano flinched at the low menace in those two words, tentatively starting to inch back a step until those eyes narrowed even further. His arms twitched with the need to bring them up into a more defensive position, but in the remaining portion of his mind that was still working properly, he was afraid that would only invite Kenshin's fury to manifest physically. That was a sparring partner he couldn't take on a good day, let alone this...

"Let's try that again." Kenshin slowly straightened his spine in that way that never failed to make even the most ruthless of businessman quake in fear. Sliding his fingertips across the article until he reached the picture, he tapped his fingers with predatory precision and murmured, "Starting with _him_."

Sano couldn't stop himself from casting a quick look at the door, gauging the distance with more than a little desperation.

"I wouldn't recommend that."

"Can't blame a guy for trying, right?" Sano offered with a pained smile.

Kenshin's expression never changed as he reached under his desk and pressed a small, hidden button.

The sound of that bolt sliding into place behind him was going to haunt Sano's nightmares for a long, _long _time.


	8. Game, Set

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: You know, I must agree with those of you who have observed the amount of Sano-torture that occurs in these bits. I don't really open a file and think "let's see what trauma can be heaped upon his head today!" ... ... ... Not _intentionally_ anyway. ...Moving right along!

Siege

_Game, Set..._

"_No_, it _isn't _funny, you idiot!" Kaoru flung the folded paper down on her desk, too angry to care that it sent a handful of the Hotei files scattering across the floor. "They printed the picture in the _paper!_ _With_ my name!"

"Now, darling..." Kamatari's exasperated sigh had her fingers digging into her phone so hard, it was a miracle the plastic didn't crack. "You're printed a Hell of a lot of other places, _with _your name, I might add."

"Not in the damn paper, Kamatari!" Kaoru slapped her hand down on the offending object for emphasis. "People in this office _read _the paper! _This _paper!"

"Business people don't read the gossip columns, dearest, and even if they did, no one believes them," Kamatari soothed patiently. "Kaoru is a common name-"

"Kamiya narrows it down a bit," Kaoru pointed out sharply.

"Don't get snippy, Kaoru," Kamatari shot back. "Daisuke was just having a bit of fun, and he even asked me first if it was all right."

Kaoru forced herself to take a deep, calming breath before she ending up shouting all the profanities hovering at the back of her throat. Swallowing hard, she brought her free hand onto her hip and pressed for a better explanation. "He... _asked?_"

"You know how the community is, and most of it _is_ true-"

"Kamatari, if I find out you were dictating gossip articles about us again-!"

"Calm down, honey, calm down!" Kamatari interrupted before she could really get into her threats. "Everyone will have forgotten all about it by tomorrow, you'll see! Some model will fall on a runway and break her little useless legs in front of an army of photographers, some other designer will admit he prefers men and everyone will act like it's the shock of the century... again..."

Kaoru reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose, only half-listening as Kamatari rattled off his favorite list of tragic mishaps and scandals that usually flitted about in the fashion world's news. She closed her eyes in an effort to blot out the overwhelming _thing_ in front of her and all its potential ramifications, but finally cursed under her breath at the futility of it and turned her attention to the files littering her floor.

Awkwardly holding her phone between her ear and shoulder, Kaoru knelt down to start cleaning up the mess she'd inflicted on herself. "Kamatari, I'm serious. This job is important to me, and how is it going to look to all Himura-san's clients if they find out I model for you?"

"They'll be flaming jealous like all those boys on your kendo team who said you were too masculine to be sexy," Kamatari replied loftily.

Kaoru felt a reluctant smile tugging at her mouth.

"Don't act like that wasn't fun."

Kaoru shook her head, but finally let the smile break through when she answered, "Don't think I don't know who stuck that ad up on the message board."

"I have no idea who could have done such a thing," Kamatari assured her as innocently as ever. "Obviously we had admirers around that campus who were tired of seeing us treated like a mismatched couple."

"That fight you had with Fujiwara did more than any of our pictures," Kaoru reminded him.

"And I didn't even break a nail!" Kamatari bragged. "Teach that little bitch to suggest you were the only one that could kick his ass with their eyes closed. Like I would have let you go through your lessons without me, honestly."

"Gods forbid you learned out of a real desire to know kendo." Kaoru rolled her eyes at the unchanged bitterness Kamatari still held toward the brash student.

"Please! That makes me sound so shallow!" Kamatari scoffed. "I also wanted to make sure we both grew up with these perfectly delicious bodies."

Kaoru chuckled softly as she tapped the files against her leg to straighten out the papers enough to be stacked and set them aside. "You're still in trouble."

"C'mon, it really isn't that bad!" Kamatari huffed in exasperation. "It's not like they were speculating on if we were having babies again. What's the worst that could happen?"

"I could lose my job because having an office manager who occasionally does _favors_ for her fashion designer friend-"

"_Best _friend."

"_Best _friend," Kaoru obligingly corrected, "isn't the image the company wants to portray. I love my job and I don't want to lose it because your reporter friend wanted to generate a buzz and make himself more popular."

"Sweetheart, if they do something that ridiculous, they don't deserve to get the benefit of your expertise," Kamatari scolded with a clear frown in his voice.

Kaoru glanced up as she set another stack of gathered paper beside the first, brows furrowing when she caught sight of the paper sitting so innocently on her desk, mocking her with its very existence. "As flattering as that is, it won't support me if I get fired."

Kamatari made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. "If you have such a burning desire to kill your brain with an endless supply of paperwork, you can come be my assistant. I'll pay you twice whatever you're making now. Plus the usual bonuses when we do shoots and appearances."

Kaoru snorted, reaching up to readjust the phone when a thought struck her and brought her frown right back. "This had better not be your way of trying to convince me to come to work with you again."

"I just want you to know that you always have options," Kamatari assured her with a tsking click of his tongue. "Some options just happen to be more glamorous than others."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed, sitting back on her heels and struggling to keep her temper from rising all over again. "If I find out you did this on purpose-"

"Honey, you know I would never do anything that would get you fired on purpose." There was a muted rustle and a clunk of something heavy before Kamatari spoke again, "But the offer is there if they do anything stupid because of one silly little gossip column."

"If you're 'losing' my bokken behind the fridge, I'm not going to be responsible my actions, Kamatari."

Kamatari clucked his tongue. "I haven't even had time to go looking for where you put your bokken, darling. That box of jogging pants in the back of your closet under your winter blanket, however..."

Kaoru took a deep breath, closing her eyes, and counting very slowly to quell the urge to start cursing all over again. Reaching up to briefly pinch the bridge of her nose, Kaoru shook her head and immediately reached for her briefcase. "I'm on my way home. If the apartment isn't exactly how I left it, I'm going to beat you worse than I'm already planning to do."

"You're coming home?" Kamatari repeated in delighted surprise. "Ooh, I'll get dressed and we can go out and have lunch at that cute little bistro place we drove past yesterday!"

Kaoru snapped her phone closed without answering, setting it down, and pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. Gritting her teeth, Kaoru slid her hands down to cup over her shoulders before turning her gaze back down to the remaining papers. She heaved out resigned sigh and opened her briefcase to pile in all the scattered paperwork inside. Once she got home, she could sort everything back out after she'd dealt with Kamatari and had a chance to clear her head.

No use hanging around when her mind was constantly wandering back to that stupid article. At least if she was at home, she had a great deal more surface space for the papers to take over than here at her desk. Possibly with the added benefit of duct taping Kamatari to the ceiling and making him watch her lounge around her apartment in her work-out clothes while she "killed her brain with paperwork."

A soft snicker escaped her at the mental image that thought conjured up, and she smiled to herself as she rolled her shoulders to relieve some of the tension in her muscles. Shaking off her wandering imaginations, she leaned up to collect the folders that had remained on the desk, taking more care to keep those in some semblance of order on top of the others. Finally all that was left was the newspaper, and she dropped it in with no small amount of disgust before she closed her briefcase with a click.

Kaoru snagged her jacket off the back of her chair, shrugging into it and fastening the buttons while she glanced over her desk for anything she missed. Smoothing a hand down the front of her skirt, she hooked her purse over her shoulder and picked up her briefcase on her way out. She'd barely pulled her door closed behind her when a familiar baritone drew her attention down the hall.

"Leaving early, Kamiya-san?"

"Unfortunately, Shinomori-san, something important has come up at home," Kaoru admitted with a rueful, if not slightly pained, smile and clenched her hand hard around the handle of her briefcase. "I have the Hotei files I was working on and I'll have my phone on all evening if anyone needs to reach me, but I'm afraid this can't wait."

Aoshi inclined his head in understanding and absently readjusted the thick, oversized black folder under his arm as he stepped to the side for her to pass unhindered. "Will you be returning to your normal schedule tomorrow?"

Kaoru nodded in reassurance. "I should have everything straightened out by this evening."

"Let us know if you need more time, Kamiya-san."

There was something in the tone of his voice that gave her pause, but the discreetly suspicious look she shot over her shoulder showed nothing but the usual bland stoicism on his face. Dismissing her odd reaction under the stress of the morning and own overactive imagination, she nodded again in gratitude.

"Thank you for understanding," Kaoru offered. "It won't interfere with my productivity."

"I have no doubt of that."

There it was again... that slightly _off _feeling... This time, however, Kaoru smiled through it and forced her mind to let it go. "Would you tell Sano that we need to reschedule the meeting we had this afternoon? I planned to tell him, but Misao said he hasn't been in his office all morning."

"He's in a conference with Himura that has run unexpectedly long," Aoshi explained easily, but there was the barest hint of hesitation before he said "conference" that set off her senses all over again.

Shinomori Aoshi didn't hesitate.

"I'm sure Sagara won't have any objection to rescheduling," Aoshi continued smoothly without any indication he noticed her unease. "I'll have his wife go through his calendar and let you know."

"Thank you," Kaoru repeated. Her brow furrowed as she started to say more, only to think better of it and shake her head. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Shinomori-san. Please don't hesitate to call if something needs my attention."

"Of course," Aoshi agreed and resumed his walk down the hall toward the executive offices.

Kaoru stayed a moment longer, watching him go with a thoughtful frown until he turned a corner and left her line of sight. Reluctantly turning away, she walked resolutely to the elevators and stepped inside before anyone else had a chance to cross her path.

Something strange was going on, but no matter how much her instincts were screaming at her to stay and find out what, Kamatari's antics wouldn't wait. In the safe privacy of the closed elevator, Kaoru let her head fall back to rest on the polished wood paneling and closed her eyes.

_I don't need this right now_.

It wasn't Kamatari's fault that his ideas of "harmless fun" weren't quite as harmless as they'd been in high school or even college. He was doing what he'd always done, what she'd always allowed him to do without much care. He probably wasn't even thinking about how differently the corporate world would view the gossip and rumors about them, especially not when their little blurb was quite probably the most conservative news in the fashion world for any given week.

On the other hand, Kamatari was a shrewd businessman in his own right.

From _that _perspective, there was no way he couldn't have known exactly how that article would be received by a corporation of this size. To say nothing of the reaction it was likely to cause among her peers.

Kaoru opened her eyes, scowling up at the metallic ceiling panels until the elevator gave off its tinny _ping _for the ground floor.

She stepped out of the elevator, waving distractedly to the security desk as she walked purposefully through the doors and out to the bustling streets to make her way to the station. Yet, despite her intentions to get home as quickly as possible, Kaoru found her steps slowing subconsciously as she passed by the familiar little newsstand outside the train platforms.

Her gaze traced over the rows of black and white business papers tucked to show off the bold letterheads of names before sliding to the other end of the booth to find the brightly colored fashion magazine stacked in clear shelves and pockets to display their full covers.

Scowling, Kaoru turned from the stand and forced her thoughts to focus on the matter at hand.

_If_ this was just another of Kamatari's attempts to convince her to leave her office job behind and work with him full-time, there might be something a little more scandalous than a suggested affair in the paper tomorrow.


	9. Flip Side

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: You know, I honestly can't think of anything to say aside from just thanking everybody for their reviews again. It's always the best to see how the bits are coming across and hear your thoughts. So... thank you! Have another bit!

Siege

_Flip Side_

"The first professional images I found were from low-key advertisements involving both Kamiya-san and this Honjou Katamari individual beginning almost ten years ago," Aoshi recited with the same toneless severity he reserved for corporate research, laying out pages with copied images of just those instances. "A short time later, they were scouted to represent a fragrance line called 'Trance' from a Parisian company hoping to extend its influence into Japan."

Kenshin's jaw tightened at the words, but his attention immediately locked onto the old perfume advertisement Aoshi placed in front of him with no small amount of surprise. The girl in the black and white picture was visibly younger than the woman they'd come to know, but the features were still unquestionably the same despite the reflective black paint thickly applied to her half-lidded eyes in a way that made them piercingly sultry. Almost hungrily, his eyes searched over the made-up face, lingering a moment on the enhanced shadows emphasizing the high curve of her cheekbones before lowering to the faintly parted lips that were strangely free of cosmetics.

Finally, he let his gaze wander over the whole of the image, awestruck at this unknown side of her captured so strikingly on the full-page advertisement. But there was no doubt that it _was_ Kaoru in the pool of water on what had to have been a pitch-black set. Kaoru standing with candles methodically placed around her on elaborate glass sculptures, obviously arranged with the utmost care to cast intriguing shadows just so along the well-defined lines of muscle bunching beneath her pale, flawless skin. With droplets and rivulets of clear water clinging stubbornly to her soaked figure and catching the same light until they glittered as brilliantly as a thousand diamonds in the artfully soft glow.

She had half-buried one hand in her thick, glossy hair, pushing it out of her face in a pose all the more seductive for its seemingly artless carelessness. Every line of her body, every inch of her skin screaming out a raw sense of power and passion that gave the picture more depth and haunting compulsion than anything he'd ever seen before.

The angle of her arm and a convenient fall of water-heavy hair managed to provide a false sense of modesty, but even so it was obvious the shot had been mostly -if not entirely- nude.

A fact only compounded by the equally youthful, equally bare, and far too attractive man molding himself to her back and focusing a look on the camera that seemed to cut straight through the lens to capture and challenge any eyes that dared look at the woman in his possessive hold. His head tilted ever so slightly against the side of Kaoru's while his brilliant smile teetered right on the edge of sinister and one slender fingered hand gripped the wrist of the hand in her hair. He'd been exceptionally careful not to block the view of her face, but his other arm wrapped firmly around her just below her navel only to disappear into the water down the line of her thigh.

"_Holy_ shit."

Sano quickly brought up both hands in defense when the reflexive whisper drew Kenshin's immediate glare. Shaking his head, he struggled to redirect the nearly suffocating disapproval in those eyes and assure his potentially volatile boss, "I can say it without meaning anything! I just... I mean... It's hard to think of that as _Kaoru_. _Our_ Kaoru. It almost doesn't even look like her! And I never thought I'd see so much of- Really not helping myself, am I?"

"Every photograph of Kamiya-san following this campaign is still either with Honjou Kamatari or under his label exclusively despite offers for contracts from several respectable agencies," Aoshi interrupted before Sano's thoughtless observations had the chance to snap the last thread of Kenshin's poorly strained temper. Ignoring Sano's slump of relief as his words effectively broke the tension and regained Kenshin's focus, he continued to thumb through his files for Kaoru's modeling pictures. "As far as I've been able to discern, Kamiya-san used the proceeds from her work with Honjou toward her education while her companion funded the launch of his design career."

Kenshin's mind swam as Aoshi laid out picture after picture, each image blending together in his head in a twisted sort of timeline as he absorbed the subtle aging from one to the next. With every new page the quality of the images improved, the growing popularity of Kamatari's designs and Kaoru's comfort in front of the camera painfully clear with every new publication.

"Kamiya-san has never provided a formal interview, but I did collect several given by Honjou where she is discussed. A few of those occurred during shoots where reporters were obviously attempting to get around him to speak to her without much success." Aoshi set a separate manila folder down at the edge of Kenshin's desk to avoid blocking the images that held his employer so very enthralled. "And when I extended my search further to look for more newspaper references, a few articles from a small, local paper in Kamiya-san's hometown turned up as well. The first of those dates about fifteen years ago."

Kenshin's head snapped up, brows lifting in open curiosity at the suggestion Aoshi had found something on Kaoru in print from so many years ago. Holding out his hand in silent demand, he barely refrained from snatching it violently from the man's fingers but forced his hand to remain steady enough to accept it. Better to wait than run the very real risk of tearing the paper in his "enthusiasm." Once the article was safely in hand, Kenshin very carefully spread it out on the desk's available surface and stared down at the faded headline.

_Local kendo students and inseparable childhood friends, Honjou Kamatari and Kamiya Kaoru took top honors in the National Championship Tournament for their age-class._

Dumbfounded, his eyes skimmed over the page until he found the coinciding photographs from the tournament. After a quick search for the names he wanted, he froze on the image of two children visibly shorter than several competitors, both with long, dark hair pulled up in high ponytails and dressed in identical training gear. The boy had flung his arms around the girl's shoulders, dragging her back into an embrace that seemed to echo the blatantly possessive aura he showed so cheerfully in their newer, professional pictures. And all with a radiantly triumphant smile that perfectly matched the one on the little girl's face.

The exact _same_ smile he looked forward to every day...

_Kendo._

"Well _that_ makes a lot more sense," Sano muttered under his breath and raked a hand through his hair. Wisely keeping his previous suspicions about her potential double-life to himself while Kenshin was still walking the fine line of what had already been a spectacular show of his more unpleasant moods.

"The database for the kendo nationals has her listed as a competitor every year until she turned twenty." Aoshi glanced down at the open folder in his hand to check it again before reporting the contents to Kenshin, "Kamiya-san regularly placed and won the title several times. After her last tournament, her father announced she'd completed succession training for their family style and intended to retire from competitions to become an assistant instructor in their dojo. According to my sources, Kamiya-san still teaches whenever she returns home."

Without glancing up from the article in front of him, Kenshin held out his hand again, fully anticipating the more recent papers and images Aoshi passed to him following that announcement. Numbly, he sat down at his desk, flipping through the copy of what looked like a report on her family's dojo, complete with pictures of Kaoru moving through the lines and directing her students through their kata.

Leaning back in his chair, he stared in amazement at finding yet another facet of Kaoru's life beyond the office. This time looking perfectly natural in the traditional gi and hakama while everything about both her stance and expression radiated unmistakable confidence in her authority.

"Given Kamiya-san's experience disciplining teenage boys, her ability keeping our clients and peers in line despite her younger age is more understandable," Aoshi observed in a tone dry enough to bring Kenshin's wide-eyed gaze up to his face.

Kenshin felt the corner of his lips twitch until he seemed to give up and allow them to fully curl in a sardonic smile. Unable to keep the soft chuckle to himself, he gently set the pictures with the rest and remarked, "Maybe we should ask her to bring her bokken to the office in case of emergencies."

Aoshi slanted a look at Sano.

Oblivious to the extra attention, Sano continued to crane his neck a moment longer, attempting to see all the images laid out on Kenshin's desk. A moment passed, and another before he noticed the silence and looked up to find the two men staring at him speculatively. "What?"

Kenshin shook his head to dismiss it as unimportant and turned his attention back to his desk. "What about this Honjou? How long has he actually known Kaoru?"

Aoshi closed the folder in his hand and set it down, reaching for another and flipping it open. "His family's address has been listed next door to Kamiya-san's before either of them were born, but the address they both listed following high school shows they moved into an apartment together when they entered college. He started modeling with N-Agency part-time, a year before he and Kamiya-san were ever photographed together."

Kenshin's jaw clenched when Aoshi held out the first photograph of Kamatari without Kaoru at his side. Oblivious to the way his eyes narrowed and his lip curled faintly in distaste at the sight of this man who'd thrown his world into so much chaos with three simple words from a damn gossip column.

"Both remained in college to complete their degrees despite their popularity with the joint modeling and the recorded offers following the success of the Trance campaign." Ignoring Kenshin's considerably telling reaction, Aoshi slipped a handful of other solo shots beside the first while he spoke. "Honjou Kamatari concluded his studies ahead of Kamiya-san and saved his income from their modeling to start his first clothing collection. Financial records show that he remained with Kamiya-san and occasionally relied on her to cover their expenses as well as model his work to save on expenses before he rose to the prestigious position he enjoys now."

Sano discreetly took a step closer to Aoshi when Kenshin's hand curled into a fist at the edge of his desk. At the questioning look he received from taller man, he shrugged his shoulders and reached up to rub the back of his neck in an attempt to cover his anxiety.

Aoshi sighed, momentarily debating the merits of pinching the bridge of his nose before rejecting the idea in favor of getting this over with. Shifting his weight, he waited patiently for Kenshin to look up and indicate he was ready for Aoshi to resume his narrative.

"Kamiya-san is the only woman ever associated with Honjou Kamatari, and she appears to be his exclusive escort to functions he attends, even overseas on more than one occasion." Aoshi thumbed through the file folders remaining in his stack before pulling out the one he was looking for and passing it to Kenshin. "However, he _has_ been photographed frequently in the company of attractive young men."

Kenshin frowned up at him and repeated suspiciously, "Young men?"

Aoshi nodded again. "He's been the focus of a number of rumors regarding his 'questionable affairs,' but he refuses to answer questions about his romantic attachments. Even the ones inquiring in regards to the state of his relationship with Kamiya-san."

"Why would he do that?" Sano wondered out loud, discreetly fisting his hands behind his back when the image of Kaoru and that woman snuck back into his head. This whole thing was weird enough without him adding that particular tidbit to the mix.

Well, that and the desire to _not _to be the focus of Kenshin's razor-edged interrogations ever again for the remainder of his existence...

"He appears to find it entertaining to hear speculation in regards his personal life," Aoshi answered and tapped a finger on the folder that held copies of the interviews he'd found. "Although, it's well documented that he doesn't react favorably to anything distasteful being said about Kamiya-san. All the reports and observations from the articles about him indicate he's very protective of her and is prone to fits of jealousy when she's approached by other men. He's even refused to work with those involved in those incidents, going so far as to have a few completely blacklisted from the industry for 'lacking the proper respect and professionalism.'"

Kenshin ground his teeth together so hard, he could feel the muscles in his cheeks twitch in protest. His eyes wandered over the collection of pictures spread out over the polished surface of his desk, struggling to fit the variety of pieces in front of him with the woman they had all thought they'd known.

Still, he couldn't deny the curl of warmth sneaking into his chest at the proof that Kaoru had every opportunity to drop everything for a glamorous life with a famous, wildly successful fashion designer, but had chosen instead to settle herself into the relative peace of his company.

_She _wanted this life.

That had to mean she was looking for something here that she hadn't found with her so-called "long-time companion."

"Find out how long he's planning to be in town," Kenshin ordered decisively. "You have access to my accounts, Aoshi, I want everything you can get on him. Track down that reporter's source and find out how accurate those rumors about them are."

Aoshi dipped his head and set the remaining folders of pictures and articles down on the edge of Kenshin's desk before gathering up the rest of his paperwork. "Any instructions regarding Kamiya-san?"

Kenshin stood up, pacing back and forth behind his desk in a show of restless energy while his brow furrowed in consideration. Tapping his thumbnail against his lower lip, he muttered a curse under his breath and shook his head. "No. Kaoru's been keeping all this to herself for some reason and I need to find out what that is first."

"Probably thought we'd all think she was stupid or something," Sano pointed out, frowning when both Kenshin and Aoshi looked at him blankly. "_What?_ That makes the most sense, right? Image? Stereotypes?"

Kenshin slanted a considering look at Aoshi.

Aoshi shrugged, acknowledging the possibility with a quiet, "Ockham's Razor."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed, pacing again until his eyes caught on the newspaper that had started all this. "If that's true, someone might have tracked down her connection here and done this on purpose."

Sano frowned, sharing a look with Aoshi before expounding on Kenshin's thought. "You mean like trying to get her fired?"

"Maybe..." Kenshin tapped his finger on the paper, gritting his teeth the more the idea turned over in his head and took root. "Or trying to get her to leave before the gossip follows her here. Kaoru wouldn't tolerate that kind of attention being her fault."

Sano snorted at that, "Considering her slick-work to shut him up when that guy was raising Hell at the security desk on Friday."

Kenshin froze, pinning a disbelieving stare on the taller man before gritting out, "He was _here?_"

Sano flinched away from Kenshin again, stuffing his hands down in his pockets before he gave in to the instinctive urge to cover his head. He was a grown man, a grown man who had come through all sorts of dangerous things all on his own from the time he was even smaller than Kenshin. There wasn't any reason to keep thinking that any second he was going to-

"Sano."

Sano snapped out of his rambling thoughts with a start and blinked, looking down at Kenshin's darkening expression. Hunching his shoulders forward, he ducked his head and rushed out, "Yeah, yeah! Ah... he was here last week. Got all pissed that they wouldn't let him up to see Jou-chan, and... um..."

Kenshin's brow kicked up when Sano's explanation tapered off into nervous silence. "And?"

"He said he was her fiancé," Sano finished with a pained attempt at a smile.

Kenshin's eyes widened for a split second before narrowing even further. Shaking his head once in vehement denial, he forced himself to take a deep breath before practically growling, "Impossible. Kaoru would wear a ring, and this man would insist on it."

"Not to be the voice of doom here, Kenshin, but you sure?" Sano reached up and rubbed the back of his neck again, this time trying to use the gesture to distract himself from the twitchy feeling between his shoulder blades. "They both seem big into secrets on that end."

"Not for this," Kenshin flatly rejected the possibility.

Sano fidgeted in the heavy silence that followed that statement, shifting from foot to foot while Kenshin shuffled the pages around into some order only he knew. Clearing his throat, he tilted his head and urged, "So-? What do we do now?"

Kenshin took a deep breath, letting it out in a slow, controlled exhale. Once he was sure he had himself sufficiently under control, he straightened his spine with almost regal precision. "We need more information before we make any decisions. If we go about this the wrong way, we could end up helping whoever's trying to make her leave."

"I can have a preliminary report on your desk by the end of the day," Aoshi assured him with quiet confidence.

"Good." Kenshin reached for the folders, stacking them absently against the desk in front of him to make sure they were all even before he set them down beside the photographs. "I want to know what he's doing here, who he's talking to, and if he's the one putting pressure on Kaoru to quit."

"Why would it be him?" Sano frowned in confusion.

"It might not be," Kenshin admitted. "But he's the best starting point. And if he's half as jealous as he looks, he's won't like that there's a part of her life that doesn't include him."

Sano briefly wondered if he should point out the parallels between Kenshin's own behavior and his accusations about Kaoru's self-styled "fiancé," but one long look at the golden eyes searching methodically over the paperwork on his desk and Sano thought better of it.

"Kamiya-san has already left for the day-"

"What?" Kenshin interrupted. "When? Did she say anything?"

Aoshi pinned him with a flat look that had Kenshin sullenly biting back everything else he intended to say, only continuing when the shorter man seemed more inclined to let him finish. "She mentioned an emergency at home that she needed to take care of, but assured me that she would be back to normal hours tomorrow."

Kenshin folded his arms, drumming his fingers in an impatient rhythm until his eyes touched on the newspaper again. His lips parted on an instinctive sound of understanding, "She saw the article."

"Highly likely."

"Then we need to get this figured out fast," Kenshin insisted, raking one hand through his hair impatiently. "Get me all the information you can by the end of the day, and we'll start there."

Sano watched Aoshi bow and leave, his lips twisting in an uncertain frown as he glanced back at Kenshin. The tension radiating off his frame was enough to encourage Sano to stay quiet, but with the alternative seeming very likely that he'd be stuck in the oppressive atmosphere the rest of the day, he couldn't keep from asking, "What about me?"

Kenshin reached up to rub his temples with one hand, thinking for a moment before he shook his head. "Just... go back to work for now. We'll have more to do once Aoshi finishes his report."

Now that he had the dismissal, however, Sano hesitated. Awkwardly looking back and forth between Kenshin and the door, and finally prodding as gently as he could, "Kenshin? Are you okay?"

Kenshin sat down heavily, but nodded in what Sano knew was supposed to be a reassuring manner. "I will be."

"Jou-chan likes it here, you know?" Sano wrinkled his nose at his own botched attempt at comfort, but stubbornly tried again, "She wouldn't fit in like she does if we were just some kind of temp spot to her."

Kenshin slanted a look up, taking in the discomfiture on his friend's face and taking pity on him with a faint smile. "Thanks, Sano."

Sano cleared his throat again, ruffling his hair and shrugging. "Yeah, well. I just don't want to see you scowling around the office for no reason."

Kenshin's smile widened and he sat back, letting his elbows rest on the arms of his chair in a more relaxed pose. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Right!" Sano squared his shoulders, flashing his usual carefree smile more easily than he had for the first time in a week. "You just holler when you're ready for us. We'll do what we can to help you make sure we don't lose Jou-chan to this guy."

That remark had Kenshin's smile shifting, slowly taking on an edge that made Kamatari's smile in their perfume ad look downright friendly. "Don't worry, Sano. I'm not going to lose her. To anyone."


	10. Old Habits

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: Ah, life. Life is... bugfuck crazy. But I've finally had a chance to take a breather enough for a little trickle of inspiration to appear! So hopefully it's worth the wait. ... And enough to tide everyone over a little longer.

Siege

_Old Habits_

"There, you see? He's a perfectly agreeable sort." Kamatari tapped his spoon lightly on the edge of his coffee cup to shake off any stray drops before elegantly placing it back on the table. He watched the young man bow his way out through the quaint little fence surrounding the dining patio where Kamatari had arranged the impromptu introduction. Discreetly studying the younger man's movements with the same calculating precision he applied to every last detail in his work. "Don't act like you couldn't see that he has a natural eye. A little rough around the edges, but then, he's still very young. We'll beat some of that out of him."

"It's oddly sweet of you to be so willing to give new photographers a chance to build their reputation," Kaoru murmured as she made a notation on the page in front of her.

"Mmm..." Lips quirked up with wicked delight, he added, "Then we'll add another photographer to the pile when working with us makes him famous and bask in the rewards for our brilliant foresight."

Kaoru glanced up from the report beside her plate, shaking her head at the smug tilt of his lips. "Nevermind. I haven't said yes, remember? I'm still angry at you for the article, and I have _real_ work that needs to get done tomorrow."

Kamatari frowned at her over the rim of his cup, stubbornly taking a sip, and lowering it with a distinct _clink_. Crossing one leg over the other, he folded his hands in his lap and pinned her with a disapproving stare. "_We_ have _real _work to do, _and _a schedule to keep, darling, to get these samples ready for syndication. I don't mind you playing with your hobby-"

"Technically-"

"I've even gone to the trouble of arranging the set in a studio so we can work around it," Kamatari continued talking over her as though she hadn't just tried to interrupt. "I'll have a car waiting at that horrible, tacky place at six, and you _will_ be in it."

Kaoru crossed her arms over her chest, arching one brow at the precise orders. "You've gotten way too used to being spoiled rotten and striking fear into the hearts of everyone around you."

Kamatari flipped his expertly styled hair back away from his face, more for dramatic effect than out of any real need considering the chin-length style. "I _am_ internationally acclaimed, Kaoru-love." Breaking the arrogant image with a bright giggle, he leaned forward and tugged on her bangs with a sly smile. "So are you."

"Don't remind me," Kaoru sighed heavily, curling her fingers around his hand to stop him from pulling her hair again. "This is a big project, Kamatari, and Himura-san is counting on me to arrange all the reports from the division heads in time for the conference. I don't know if I can take the time out for a shoot right now."

"Darling, I have gone through _eight _'models,' to say nothing of the ridiculous amount of time, energy, and shoes I've _wasted _trying to get these samples finished." The way his lip curled ever so briefly said more about the future career possibilities for those unfortunate girls than any stories he might have told her.

Although she suspected those would come soon enough.

"Do you have ANY idea how badly these new girls wear my clothes? It's an insult to my vision and reputation!" Kamatari pulled a slim, silver cigarette case out of his purse, adding a few more descriptive words for the whole mess that were best not repeated in polite company.

"I couldn't get home fast enough!" Gesturing to the waiter with one hand while he flicked the little case open with the other, he selected a cigarette, snapped the case closed, and absently tapped the filter end on the engraved surface. "But I wouldn't have had to if a certain someone had been on location where she belonged."

Kaoru habitually reached into her own purse for the lighter with matching engravings, striking the flame, and holding it up for Kamatari with practiced ease. He barely paused in his complaints to lean over to her and accept the light, inhaling deeply while he sat back with all the regal poise of a queen holding court.

"You _know _you're my face, Kaoru." Kamatari turned his head to exhale away from the table, smiling in thanks when the waiter obligingly placed an ashtray on the table beside his coffee. He tapped the excess ash off, and pointed at her scoldingly. "Now stop teasing me about this paperwork nonsense."

Smiling at his disgruntled expression, Kaoru set her lighter on the table for easy access and gathered up the files to sort the last page she'd checked. "_If _I finish up the reports, I'll help you out."

"Kaoru! What did I just say?!" Kamatari whined with exaggerated misery. "How can you torture the most important person in your life?"

Kaoru's lips twitched with suppressed laughter as she drawled out thoughtfully, "I did promise Yahiko I would go home for his succession exam..."

Kamatari shot her a dry, unappreciative look.

This time Kaoru couldn't hold it in, covering her mouth with one hand in a futile attempt to muffle her laughter. When he turned up his nose with an offended _hmph_, her laughter only increased. Finally, she managed to get a handle on her amusement and wound down to softer giggles. Clearing her throat, and smoothing her hands over her hair and clothes while she brazenly ignored Kamatari's patented, unamused glare.

"Are you done?"

Kaoru tilted her head, pretending to consider the question just to see his perfectly sculpted eyebrow twitch in irritation. "Yes."

"The car will be waiting at five."

"You said six," Kaoru reminded him.

"Penalty hour for unacceptable disrespect."

"You big baby," Kaoru scolded, pausing only when the waiter approached with a fresh carafe of coffee to refill their cups. After he'd stepped away to continue through the other tables on the deck, Kaoru tapped Kamatari in the shin with her foot. "I'll be in a conference taking notes until five-thirty. I can't leave until it's finished."

Kamatari silently took another deep drag off his cigarette before sighing in resignation and nodding. "Fine, fine. It'll be there at six. I'm going to fit you for the underwear and the main outfits tonight to save us time at the shoot. Then all we'll have to worry about the little adjustments." Thoughtfully, he tilted his head and ventured, "Although, it would be even more helpful if we woke up early and went to the salon before you insist on leaving me."

Kaoru made a face and decided to let that last bit slide, focusing instead on pouring cream into both their fresh cups. "I thought we were saving the three in the morning shoots for outside work."

"Give up your hobby and we wouldn't have to wake up until ten," Kamatari suggested with a shrug.

"You're going to call my job a hobby forever, aren't you?" Kaoru accused with a half-smile.

"Well it's not like you NEED it!" He pointed out, rolling his eyes while he added two sugar lumps to his cup and one to hers. "Honestly, what is in that cramped little office that's so attractive to you?"

"I _like _my job."

Kamatari made a rude noise in the back of his throat, stubbing out his cigarette while he muttered, "You spent too much time managing your father's dojo. It tripped some bizarre little switch in that beautiful head just to make my life difficult."

Kaoru silently rolled her eyes.

"Honey, how many times do I have to tell you that you're not built for doing such boring work?" Kamatari went right back to scolding her in between sips of coffee. "Do you know some of the designers have had the gall to accuse me of not treating you with the love and adoration required for a model of your expertise?"

Kaoru nearly choked on the sip she'd taken, rapidly adjusting her cup to prevent any spills, and setting it down for this particularly ridiculous turn of conversation. "Excuse me?"

"Do you remember that skinny idiot with the bizarre fascination with using animal prints in unnatural colors?" Kamatari lifted his hands around him to pantomime an over-sized skirt. "The one we met at the show in Thailand? With the gold and pink nails and the mauve lip-gloss."

"Klahan?" Kaoru blinked in surprise. "I thought you swore you'd never talk to him after he told you the silver sheath dress was too boring to be within fifty feet of real runway?"

Kamatari distractedly glanced back toward the kitchen as though he could see through the wall and find their orders. "He keeps showing up at parties and coming up to me to 'socialize' when I'm in front of the gossipy reporters."

"Sneaky bastard."

Kamatari hummed in agreement, turning his attention back to the table when his plate failed to materialize. "Anyhow, _someone_ told him that you were working here while I was doing the spring runway show in Milan without you and he accused me of running you into the arms of another man!"

Kaoru's brows rose in surprise. "How on earth did you manage to not call me with this when it happened?"

"And give him the satisfaction?" Kamatari pressed his hand flat to his chest as though the mere thought wounded him. "You should have more faith in my self-control, darling!"

"In the depths of your spite, you mean." Kaoru's eyes narrowed in suspicion, studying his face and finally asking, "Exactly how long ago did this little conversation happen?"

"You don't need to worry about that." Kamatari made a dismissive gesture before examining his manicured nails carefully and promising, "I'm handling his behavior properly."

"Mm-hmm."

"Your suspicion hurts my soul."

"I'm sure your soul will survive, honey," Kaoru assured him, moving her files back to her briefcase when she caught a glimpse of their waiter coming toward them with their orders. "At least until after we eat."

Kamatari huffed in annoyance, but obligingly settled back and smoothed his napkin over his lap. "If this is how you get after I've been on vacation so long, I'll have to remember to come home regularly to remind you that you love me far too much to be so cruel."

Kaoru snickered quietly as the waiter gently arranged the plates to his satisfaction before bowing and leaving them to their meal.

...

"_What is it?_"

"Youichi's Café."

"_What?_"

"They're having lunch."

Silence met that declaration for a long moment, finally broken with the low answer, "_I'm on my way_."


	11. Just A Little Fly On The Wall

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: Unless you're dramatically removed from reality, you have to have heard about the absolute tragedy Japan is dealing with right now. This is going to seem really weird for an author's note, but I really do urge everyone to try and help in some way. Even if it seems tiny and inconsequential, they need all the help they can get. There are a lot of reputable organizations like Japan's Red Cross or JEARS accepting donations, but please do your research and avoid ones that seem a bit shady. Like Unicef. Seriously, don't ever, EVER donate to them. They're one of THE most corrupt out there and it amazes me they haven't been prosecuted yet.

Anyhow, to briefly talk about this update: This chapter was barely outlined, but I had a flash of inspiration and a little free time, thus… I have a new drabble offering to go with my soapbox-ing. Thank you guys for all your great responses, really really. It's a lot of fun to write in this "universe" when I have the chance and it's really awesome to see that it's something other people enjoy too!

Siege

_Just A Little Fly On The Wall_

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt."

Kaoru and Kamatari looked up in surprise at the apologetic greeting so close to them and found the source to be an unfamiliar waiter standing a few paces away from their table. He was much shorter than their waiter and smiling in a strangely benign way as he reached forward to refill their coffee mugs. They were entirely unaware of the way their brows rose in perfect synchrony with the silent question or the way that automatic reaction caused the slightest hint of pensiveness to chase across the man's face for a fraction of a second.

As he poured fresh coffee into Kaoru's mug, he finally offered an explanation of his appearance, "There's been a small incident in the kitchen and your waiter is assisting. I've been asked to cover your table for him until he becomes available again."

"Oh!" Kaoru's posture visibly relaxed and she turned toward the soft-spoken replacement with a concerned frown. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh yes, please don't be concerned," he assured her as he smoothly set her coffee back in front of her. "It's a simple matter involving some cooking oil and hand towels. It should be corrected shortly by our excellent kitchen staff."

Kaoru still looked a bit worried but nodded her acceptance. She automatically stacked her dirty plate with Kamatari's and passed both into the man's waiting grasp. He accepted them with a faint bow and balanced them in one hand before asking, "Is there anything else you'd like for the moment?"

Kaoru shook her head and smiled back politely. "No, thank you. We're just about finished here."

Kamatari tsked and leaned over to point demandingly at the waiter. "One caramel flan and a vanilla bean shortcake."

"Of course. I'll return with your selections promptly." He bowed almost formally and headed back into the café without so much as batting an eyelash at Kamatari's borderline rude demands.

As soon as the doors closed and restored their privacy on the patio, Kaoru reached over and smacked Kamatari on the head. "There's absolutely no reason for you to act like an ass."

Kamatari pouted and rubbed his head before carefully smoothing his hair back into place. "I'm not acting like an ass," he pouted and reached for the cream. "A waiter's job is to cater to my every whim and desire. You know, the same way you're supposed to?"

"There are more than enough people who would faint with joy if you started giving them demands," Kaoru clucked her tongue in disapproval. "You need at least one person who can tell you exactly where to stick it."

"Aww, you always were such a flirt." He leaned over and pressed a loudly exaggerated kiss to her cheek. When she absently swatted at him, he laughingly dodged and picked up a sugar cube to drop in her coffee. "Oh come now. You can't tell me that you've overcome that sweet-tooth of yours. Since they don't have my mother's home-baked cookies for you to moon over, you'll have to settle for shortbread and flan."

"You ordered those because that's what _you _want to try." Kaoru swatted his hand when he tried to put another sugar cube in her coffee. "You have your own coffee, put it in there."

"I don't like sugar in my coffee, I just like watching the cubes dissolve," Kamatari snorted and gave her a patently disapproving look for acting as though she wasn't fully aware of that fact. "Since you _do _take your coffee with sugar, win-win!"

Kaoru rolled her eyes at his rationalization but let him throw in one more before she pointedly moved her cup to the side of her place setting farthest from him. With her coffee safely out of range, she rested her elbow on the table and set her chin heavily in her hand to turn a more serious look at her dearest friend. "What am I going to do, Kamatari?"

Kamatari stirred the cream into his cup and set the spoon aside before turning toward her and crossing his legs. "I still have a hard time believing one little report in the paper will make any difference. Our pictures are all over the place and a lot of them a lot more 'scandalous' than that one. It's never caused problems for you before."

"Before I wasn't working for such a prestigious company," Kaoru pointed out and reached for her coffee to take a calming sip. "Himura-san's reputation is incredibly important _and_ impeccable. You have no idea how these people will see it to find out I used to be a model."

"Used to be, my tight gorgeous ass," Kamatari muttered with a sour frown and pointed at her sternly. "Say what you want about being an executive manager for your 'Himura-san' and his precious 'prestigious' company, Kaoru, but you know damn well you are _still _the best damn print model in the game. Which is _exactly_ why you're going to agree to be my lead for my newest collection _and_ why you're going with me to Paris in July to reshoot our Trance ad."

"Wait, _what?_" Kaoru sputtered momentarily as surprise caused an automatic inhale right in the middle of swallowing. She quickly set her cup down hard on the table and massaged her throat with one hand until it cleared for her to speak. "What did you just say?"

Kamatari blinked at her in surprise and whined in clear disapproval at her confusion, "Honey, we already talked about this! More than once! You're going to be my lead in my new spring collection and-"

"Not _that!_" She cut him off and shifted her chair closer to him to show him she wanted this discussion kept quiet and private. "What did you say about Paris?"

His finely sculpted brows shot up. "What about it?"

Kaoru gave him a purely exasperated glare. "_When_ did you hear from the _Transe d'Amour _group? Are Étienne and Josette in town again? Why on earth didn't they call?" She leaned towards him and just barely stopped herself from grabbing him and shaking him when no answers were forthcoming. "What do you mean they want to reshoot that ad? For gods'sakes, Kamatari, that was almost ten years a-"

Understanding abruptly snapped into place the moment those words left her mouth and she sat up straighter in her chair to pin him with an intimidating, blatantly accusing look. "That's it, isn't it? It's the tenth anniversary of the line first launching here and _someone _got the idea to redo their first ad to celebrate it."

"It's a good idea!" Kamatari protested. "They took a chance on a pair of mostly unknown kids and thanks to them we were able to get the best education we could possibly dream up. Now look at us! I'm a famous designer and you're a famous model in denial."

"Executive. Manager."

"Sweetheart! That's so boring though!" He whined and mimicked her earlier pose by propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin heavily in his upturned hand. Although true to form, Kamatari somehow still managed to make his petulance look elegant. "You could still be earning ten times what you're making doing this busy work."

"It's highly intellectually demanding which is a lot more than I can say for pretending to be a three-dimensional hanger for a few hours." She turned away from him and let her gaze wander out to the pedestrians to watch the strangers walk by. Pretending to be engrossed in people watching was a great deal easier than allowing her far-too shrewd friend to draw her into another long-winded debate about her career choice.

A shrewd gleam entered Kamatari's dark eyes and a taunting smile spread across his lips before he nudged his knee against hers under the table. "It's that boss, isn't it?"

"Excuse me?" Kaoru snapped around to face him despite her best efforts to keep her attention elsewhere.

Kamatari chuckled softly and leaned even closer to whisper in her ear, "You don't _really_ think I'd let my girl go to work somewhere without me doing some research of my own, do you? I have access to all kinds of sources and information, _and_ I was particularly meticulous about checking up on these people you would be surrounding yourself with daily for so many hours."

Kaoru reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose and sighed. "If I go into your office, how many files on me and the places I've ever worked am I going to find?"

"Don't ask me silly questions," Kamatari brushed that aside with a grand gesture and leaned back to rest his arm along the back of his chair. "Now tell me about this delicious looking, multi-billionaire redhead you work for."

"Delici-_Kamatari! _When did you get pictures of Himura-san?" Kaoru demanded through gritted teeth and desperately struggled to keep her voice down as her temper clamored to get out.

Kamatari clucked his tongue at the suspicion in her voice and folded his arms across his chest with an air of superiority. "I'll have you know that your _delicious_ boss has appeared in more than one business magazine for formal interviews and yes, they included pictures, so stop looking at me like that."

"It wouldn't be the first time you hired someone to go take pictures," Kaoru pointed out unapologetically.

"That's true, but I always had good reason!" He shrugged his shoulders and added, "Plus, even if I did, with those looks of his, more than a few of the tabloids like to snap off a shot or two when he's at some function or another." His chin tilted up and his eyes took on a faraway quality as a thought occurred to him. "You know, now that I think of it, he looks pretty comfortable being in front of the camera. Think you could convince him to pick up a little work on the side? I could do some wonderful things with all that-"

Kaoru practically launched forward to clap her hand over his mouth, rattling the table and nearly sloshing their coffee onto the pristine white tablecloth in her haste to stop the rest of that thought from coming out of his mouth. "I absolutely forbid you from fantasizing about Himura-san."

"Hmmm?" Kamatari's eyebrow kicked up as a wicked sparkle lit his eyes. She could feel his lips spread in a wide grin before he clasped her wrist and pulled her hand down. "Aww, has my little Kaoru-chan staked a claim on this one?"

Color flushed Kaoru's cheeks as she scowled darkly at his insinuation. She made a sound of extreme irritation and folded her arms over her chest. "He's my _boss_."

"And?"

"_Ethics_, Kamatari, remember those?"

"Meh." He made a dismissive gesture with one hand. "Something as pesky as _that_ shouldn't get in the way if you want to take a test drive on that beautiful piece of manflesh. Is his hair really that ultra fabulous red in real life or did they enhance that with the computer?"

"No, that's all real," Kaoru started before she caught herself and frowned even harder. "Stop that! His hair isn't important!"

"Maybe not technically, but it sure looks fantastic," he purred and set his elbow on the table. He cupped his chin in his hand and gave her a sly look. "I bet it'd look fantastic all spread out on white sheets, or wild and sticking to him when-"

"_STOP _that!" The color in Kaoru's cheeks darkened dramatically and sent Kamatari off into a delighted bout of laughter. She reached out and swatted him upside the head. "It's not funny!"

"Says you," he leaned back before she could smack him again. "Come on, Kaoru! Personally, I think if you're really worried about losing your job, you should at _least_ tap that once. You could get a pretty baby and we could raise it together to be the most fabulous, lovely badass of any country we happen to be in."

Kaoru stared at him in complete disbelief for several minutes. "You did not just suggest I intentionally have sex with my _boss_ to get pregnant so you can have a baby to dress up."

"So _we _can have a baby and not just dress up!" Kamatari scolded and pointed at her sternly. "_You _will teach it kendo so it grows up just as beautiful and perfectly formed as its parents."

"You do realize you wouldn't be its real father, so your own genetics will have nothing to do with it," she pointed out dryly.

"Which is why you should pick someone I approve, like your boss." Kamatari shrugged nonchalantly. "Beyond that, blood doesn't mean anything. Besides! Why can't I be the mom? You'd make a much better father figure."

"Not helping your argument _or _yourself," Kaoru muttered irritably.

"What? It's a well documented fact that you're a much better disciplinarian that I am and probably ever will be," he reminded her with a cheeky grin. "You had all that practice with Yahiko after all! And all those little brats you taught back home! So clearly you should let me be the sweet, indulgent parent who spoils our kids rotten and you can be the big awful meanie who doesn't let us do all the fun things we want to do."

Kaoru blinked once, staring at the dreamy look on his face, then shook her head in self-disgust. "There are many, many times in my life that I wonder what kind of malfunction is going on in my brain that makes me love you and keep you around."

"Aw, don't be like that, darling!" Kamatari pouted and scooted his chair so closed to hers the arms touched. "We've talked about having a nice big family, courtesy of your lovely feminine reproductive abilities and my faith in your body being too amazing to be ruined by such a little thing. I just don't see the reason why we shouldn't get a nice head start now since you have such a prime prospective donor right under your fingertips."

"This is absolutely NOT the reason we're having this discussion right now." Kaoru pinned him with a warning look to drop it or suffer more than a swat to the head. "In case you forgot, I'm having a more substantial problem than your ticking proxy-biological clock."

Kamatari obediently held up both hands and ducked his head contritely. "All right, Kaoru, all right. We'll hold off and plan out how you'll get pregnant after we've finished shooting for my new collection. Oh, hey! I have a charity event in Australia next month. If you're still working, you should put in for vacation so you can be my date and show off my clothes properly."

"I still haven't agreed to do the shoot for you," Kaoru reminded him and picked up her coffee to take another drink before it went cold.

"KAO~RU~!" Kamatari flung his arms up in the air with exasperation. "You _have _to do it! You're _my_ girl!"

"You really _are_ forgetting I'min the middle of something of a personal crisis here, Kamatari," she sighed heavily and reached up to massage her forehead. "Remember? Newspaper article? My picture? Potential huge scandal?"

Kamatari blinked in surprise. "We already hammered that out. You just seduce your boss and get pregnant, leave your boring job, and come back to the glamorous life with me! I have more than enough paperwork for you to muddle through since you seem to crave it so much."

"You already have a business director." Kaoru smiled in helpless affection at Kamatari's ridiculous plan and shook her head again.

"Psh, fired." Kamatari flicked his hand away repeatedly in a shooing gesture. "You don't actually think that ass is more important to me than you, do you? I'd fire everyone in my main office if that's what it took to find you a position you like."

Kaoru's smile widened and she leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. "Sometimes I remember why you're the best, most fashionable man in the whole world."

"Exactly!" His chin kicked up arrogantly, but just as quickly, the affected look melted into a serious expression of both concern and reassurance. "I do mean it, Kaoru-love. If finding out you're my singularly irreplaceable model gets you fired, they don't deserve you and never did. You and I have more than enough money and talent to have long, successful careers the likes of which stuffed up bastards like that only dream of having. Now cheer up and eat your shortcake. It has big fat strawberries and fresh whipped cream."

Kaoru sat up and turned around to find their replacement waiter standing there with his placid, cheerful smile and the desserts Kamatari ordered easily balanced on one arm while he carried the coffee carafe in his other hand. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you were back!"

"It's quite all right," he assured her and stepped forward to place the shortbread neatly and precisely in front of her. He refilled her coffee cup and stepped around her to do the same with the flan for Kamatari. "You and your husband appeared to be deep in your discussion and I didn't want to interrupt."

Kaoru laughed and quickly waved both her hands. "Oh, no, no! He's _not _my husband."

"No? I'm terribly sorry, you appeared to be so close I just assumed," he apologized with a deep bow.

Kamatari reached across the space and wrapped his arms around Kaoru to pull her into the best embrace he could manage with the separate chairs impeding him. "No need to apologize, Kaoru-chan and I have practically been married since we were five. It's easy enough to mistake, she just hasn't found me a ring I approve on and gotten down on her knees to beg me properly."

Kaoru rolled her eyes and jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. "Not in this lifetime."

"Aww, don't be like that," Kamatari whined dramatically and leaned his head on her shoulder. "You promised me a lavish wedding on a black sand beach at sunset! I've been designing our dresses since I was twelve!"

She sighed and looked up at the waiter with a rueful smile. "Thank you and don't mind him. Thank you for serving us so patiently and quickly while our waiter was needed elsewhere."

"You're quite welcome," he answered and shook his head with a quiet chuckle to halt any more apologies. "And it was no trouble. Please, enjoy your dessert and coffee and don't hesitate to call if you need something else. Your regular waiter should be returning to his duties shortly."

"Thank you for taking care of us in his absence," Kaoru said again and reached up to pull Kamatari's hair when he made a few impolite remarks under his breath at her insistence on being so overly polite to the "help."

The waiter bowed once more and retreated back into the restaurant.

"I can't believe you," Kaoru muttered and gave Kamatari a shove when the doors closed behind the slight man.

"They're paid to do it, you know," Kamatari protested irritably. "_You_ don't have to be so polite when you're paying their salary."

Kaoru picked up one of the strawberries and dipped it in the cream with a sideways glare for her friend. "Do you want my help or not?"

Kamatari frowned and picked up his spoon with a huff. "No need to get snippy about it. Nice to him and cruel to the man you adore more than any other living creature, honestly."

"Pouting gives you wrinkles," Kaoru teased and burst into giggles when Kamatari let out a loud, offended gasp.

"Kaoru! How could you!" Kamatari wailed with dismay and dropped his spoon to clap both hands to his cheeks.

Kaoru smirked and bit into her strawberry.

"_Kaoru!_"

"Oh hush, you big drama queen," she snickered and gave his ankle a light kick. "You spend more money than god on your anti-aging products. I'm sure at least one of them is effective enough to keep that baby face frozen in time."

"Hmph!"

"Or there's always plastic surgery."

"_Hey!_"

…

"How is the quality?"

"Ch! Since Shinomori-san developed this particular bug, you already knew there was no chance it wouldn't turn out, Soujirou," Anji snorted and pulled the headphones off to hold them out to the shorter man. "We get the louder clicks from the cup hitting the saucer like you'd expect with it being so close to the mic, but it's not so loud that we can't hear everything they say." Anji spun around in his chair and asked suspiciously, "You _did _tell Katsu to keep the fire small, right? Or should I have the fire department on standby?"

Soujirou ignored the mostly sarcastic questions as he meticulously folded and set aside his "borrowed" apron. He twisted one of the earpieces around and pressed it tightly over his ear to listen and judge the sound clarity for himself. True to Anji's reassurance, the two distinct voices of their targets bantering about surgery and beauty products came through clean and loud.

Soujirou smiled wider in satisfaction and gave a crisp nod of his head before passing the headset back to Anji. "Excellent. Notify Shinomori-san where the audio file is recording to the servers so he can pull it onto his computers and begin his research for Himura-san immediately."


End file.
